Motorsport Information

Transcription

Motorsport Information
Media Guide 2008 Dakar Rally
Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH
Communications
Ikarusallee 7a
D-30179 Hannover
Fon +49 511 674 94 888
Fax +49 511 674 94 789
[email protected]
www.volkswagen-motorsport.info
English
Incl. Media CD
Contents
2008 Dakar Rally – the 15 stages
Date
Media Guide 2008 Dakar Rally Volkswagen in Motorsport 4
Page
Leg
Start – Finish (Country)
Liaison
Stage
Liaison
Total
Sat. 05.01.
58
1
Lisbon – Portimão (P)
104 km
120 km
262 km
486 km
Interview with Motorsport Director Kris Nissen
Sun. 06.01.
59
2
Portimão – Malaga (E)
15 km
60 km
460 km
535 km
2008 Dakar Rally
Mon. 07.01.
60
3
Nador (MA) – Er Rachidia (MA)
182 km
372 km
163 km
717 km
Who’s who in the Volkswagen “Dakar” Team 14
Tue. 08.01.
61
4
Er Rachidia – Ouarzazate (MA)
29 km
356 km
199 km
584 km
Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
16
Wed. 09.01.
62
5
Ouarzazate – Guelmim (MA)
188 km
498 km
148 km
834 km
Technical Data 20
Thu. 10.01.
63
6
Guelmim – Smara (MA)
66 km
454 km
105 km
625 km
Partners 22
Fri. 11.01.
64
7
Smara – Atâr (RIM)
198 km
619 km
12 km
829 km
Drivers and Co-drivers
26
Sat. 12.01.
65
8
Atâr – Nouakchott (RIM)
44 km
450 km
37 km
531 km
Biographies
28
Sun. 13.01.
66
Nouakchott (RIM)
Biographies – Customer Sport
44
Mon. 14.01.
67
9
Nouakchott – Nouadhibou (RIM)
37 km
525 km
86 km
648 km
Preparing for the Dakar Rally
48
Tue. 15.01.
68
10
Nouadhibou – Atâr (RIM)
111 km
552 km
22 km
685 km
Navigation
52
Wed. 16.01.
69
11
Atâr – Tidjikja (RIM)
35 km
524 km
133 km
692 km
Race and Service Trucks
54
Rest day
8
10
Thu. 17.01.
70
12
Tidjikja – Kiffa (RIM)
131 km
398 km
2 km
531 km
Service Vehicles
56
Fri. 18.01.
71
13
Kiffa – Kiffa (RIM)
25 km
484 km
6 km
515 km
Stage by Stage 58
Sat. 19.01.
72
14
Kiffa – St. Louis (SN)
326 km
301 km
130 km
757 km
Entry list 2008 Dakar Rally
74
Sun. 20.01.
73
15
St. Louis – Dakar (SN)
239 km
23 km
42 km
304 km
2008 Dakar Rally Regulations 78
1,730 km
5,736 km
1,807 km
9,273 km
Glossary 80
Dakar Rally History 83
Marathon stage
Total
Dakar Rally Winners 85
Volkswagen “Dakar” History 86
Volkswagen “Dakar” Statistics 89
Volkswagen Motorsport History 90
Volkswagen Motorsport Statistics 93
Media Service 96
Media Contacts 97
Media CD incl. Photo and Audio 99
Fold-out Map of the 2008 “Dakar” Route 100
3
Volkswagen in Motorsport
Broad commitment
for young talent and
professionals
four driver/co-driver duos of Carlos
Sainz/Michel Périn, Giniel de Villiers/
Dirk von Zitzewitz, Mark Miller/Ralph
Pitchford and Dieter Depping/Timo
Kris Nissen
For the 2008 motorsport season,
Gottschalk – and also the customer
which starts for Volkswagen with the
team Lagos – Carlos Sousa/Andy
Dakar Rally, the automobile manu-
Schulz– could record the first overall
facturer presented a new and more
victory with the Race Touareg and TDI
widely based motorsport involvement.
Diesel Technology.
It is comprised of seven programmes
Wolfgang Dressler
for the USA, Europe and the inter-
Formula ADAC and Polo Cup
nationally operated cross country
Volkswagen also realises profes-
rallying. “From young-talent projects for newcomers in
sional standards in its entry level-programme. Young
formula or touring car racing via professional com-
motorsport talents, who plan a circuit racing career,
mitments such as the Formula 3 engine programme
are offered as many as two lucrative career op-
to our top line involvement in cross country rallying
portunities by the Wolfsburg based automobile
Volkswagen demonstrates, as one of the leading
manufacturer. Touring car drivers aged between 16
automobile manufacturers, its motorsport expertise,”
and 26 have the possibility to qualify for the ADAC
underlines Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris
Volkswagen Polo Cup in qualification courses. For ten
Nissen. “Hardly any other automobile manufacturer
years now Volkswagen’s “Touring Car School”, which
offers such a broad range for budding young talents,
is staged in front of packed grandstands as part of
customer teams and professionals. As a result, the
the DTM support programme, enjoys huge popular-
motorsport involvement supports the brand’s image
ity among young racers. As of this year touring car
which is to provide reliable, competitive and in-
racing is no longer the only pillar in Volkswagen’s
novative Volkswagen products for a wide range of
entry level programme. In 2008, the brand will prove
applications.”
popular as engine manufacturer among future formula aces. The new “Formel ADAC Masters powered
4
Dakar Rally – the big challenge
by Volkswagen” provides young drivers from the age
At the 2008 Dakar Rally, Volkswagen once again
of 15 the possibility to step-up to car racing from karts
has the chance to write history: The factory squad’s
with a professional single-seater for a fair price.
5
A 145 hp, 1.6 litre FSI engine from Volkswagen powers
Jetta TDI Cup and Baja 1000 project in the USA
the single-seaters built by Italian manufacturer Dallara.
American race fans will see Volkswagen in two
competitions in the future. The newly established
Club sport in the style of the brand – the Golf GTI
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup provides young touring
Volkswagen pulled off a genuine coup in the 24-hour
car talents with an attractive platform from 2008.
race at the Nürburgring in June 2007: With a produc-
The 170 hp two-litre TDI engine conveys the message
tion based Golf GTI, the ideal club sport car for the
presented by “Clean Diesel” technology more effec-
future, the factory team finished eighth overall and
tively than any other racing series since the Jetta TDI
took class victory on its debut behind seven thorough-
Cup will be the first one-make cup in the United States
bred GT sportscars. With René Rast, Jimmy Johansson,
to rely exclusively on diesel power. At the same time,
Florian Gruber and Dieter Depping at the wheel the
Volkswagen will face all-comers in the most popular
GTI put its sporting genes impressively to the test dur-
off-road competition in the crucial American market:
ing the legendary “Grünen Hölle”.
Volkswagen develops a Touareg TDI for the legendary
Baja 1000.
Formula 3 Euro Series with Volkswagen engines
Volkswagen returned to its roots during the 2007
Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH
season: The brand continued a great tradition with
The responsibility for Volkswagen’s racing activities
a newly developed Formula 3 engine. The successful
lies in the hands of Kris Nissen. The former profes-
engine was credited with a total of 55 titles between
sional racing driver acts as Motorsport Director and
1979 and 1994. Volkswagen once again accepts
Spokesman for the Management in the Volkswagen
the challenge of the world’s toughest Formula 3
Motorsport GmbH. As Managing Director, Wolfgang
competition and therefore elected to contest the
Dressler is responsible for the areas of logistics,
Formula 3 Euro Series. Volkswagen started its involve-
finance and administration. From design via develop-
ment in 2007 as partner to the teams RC Motorsport
ment, vehicle build and engine assembly to logistic
and Holzer Motorsport in four events. For the 2008
and race and rally events everything is processed
season every round of the Formula 3 Euro Series is on
under Volkswagen Motorsport’s roof.
the agenda.
6
7
Interview with Kris Nissen
Interview with Kris Nissen
Kris Nissen: “Best possible preparation”
What is the challenge of the “Dakar” for you?
“We are not only operating in top line sport in the
Kris Nissen, which targets will Volkswagen follow
Dakar Rally but in fact in cross country rallying. With-
in the 2008 Dakar Rally?
out a zero-error programme you have no chance of
“Our targets haven’t changed since 2007: We want
success. Because in contrast to Formula 1, the World
to be the first manufacturer to win this long and hard
Rally Championship or in the DTM no points are
race with a diesel vehicle. We have achieved many
added up at the end, but a clock merely ticks without
goals. When you take a look at the trophy cupboard
interruption. And unlike the 24-hour race in Le Mans
at Volkswagen you realise that one trophy is missing:
our race lasts for 15 days and runs along unknown
The ‘Dakar’ trophy with the number 1.”
tracks. Every metre is new territory for the driver and
co-driver. Every team must do a perfect job – and all
What gives you the confidence to take the winners
this for two solid weeks.”
spoils in 2008?
“In January 2007 we won 10 of the 14 ‘Dakar’ stages,
in addition we tested throughout the course of the
year, won rallies and claimed the World Cup title. On
the other side the strong competition remains and the
Motorsport Director with successful racing career
Dakar Rally’s many unknowns – nevertheless we have
prepared ourselves as best as possible for this. For this
Kris Nissen, born on 20 July 1960 in Arnum, Denmark, recorded
reason I believe we can do it.”
numerous international wins as a professional racing driver
before pursuing his motorsport career in management. After
How did your team equip itself for the “Dakar”?
racing karts in his homeland, Nissen broke successfully into
“We tested more intensively and worked on many
formula racing, which he crowned by winning the German
details such as service friendliness and the ergonomics
Formula 3 Championship in a Volkswagen in 1986. Many
of the Race Touareg. We had already determined the
victories followed in sportscar and touring car championships
‘Dakar’ specification of the Race Touareg for 2008
as well as making several Formula 1 tests. Since 1998 he has
in August – we have never been so well and so early
been instrumental in forging the concept and continued expansion of the Lupo-Cup, a
nd
prepared for this rally.”
assumed the position of Volkswagen Motorsport Director in July 2003. Kris Nissen is married
and has two children.
8
9
2008 Dakar Rally
Challenging anniversary route
2008 Dakar Rally
together his German co-driver Andreas Schulz. “Our
advantage is that we have formed a stable, strong
Volkswagen heads for the 2008 Dakar Rally with
and well-rehearsed team,“ explains Volkswagen
four Race Touareg 2 prototypes and an experienced
Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.
driver squad. The Wolfsburg based squad is one of
the teams fancied to take overall honours in the 30th
World Cup increases motivation in team
running of the desert classic which starts on 5 Janu-
The Spaniard Carlos Sainz and his French co-driver
ary 2008 in Lisbon (Portugal) and finishes in Dakar
Michel Périn start the Dakar Rally as current FIA
(Senegal) on 20 January. During the 2007 running
Cross Country Rally World Cup title holders. They
of the world’s most famous and toughest rally the
won the 2007 Cross Country World Cup with victory
Volkswagen factory drivers held the overall lead
in the Rally Transibérico and second places in the
for eight days and celebrated ten stage victories. A
Moroccan Rally and the UAE Desert Challenge. Their
particularly tough route waits in 2008: For the anni-
team mates Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz
versary the organisers plan to spread a “Sea of Sand”
claimed overall victory in the Moroccan Rally and
in front of the participants.
rounded off the team’s success with second place in
the World Cup and together with Sainz/Périn they
Proven driver squad
also clinched the team title for Volkswagen. “This was
With Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France), Giniel
a fantastic success for the entire team,” says Volkswa-
de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa/Germany)
gen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “The one-two in
and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa)
the championship demonstrated that the Volkswagen
three of the four drivers have been members of the
Race Touareg 2 has the potential to win a ‘Dakar’.
Volkswagen squad since 2005. New to the team are
WW wants to be the first team to win this rally with a
Dieter Depping and Timo Gottschalk, however they
diesel vehicle.”
are also well-known to the team: In 2007 the German
10
duo drove a Race-Truck for Volkswagen in the Dakar
Difficult route and strong competition
Rally. The three-time German Rally Champion Dieter
Volkswagen once again expects strong competition in
Depping was in action as test driver and in various
the field of approximately 200 starters. “Our s trongest
projects for Volkswagen. As in the 2007 “Dakar”,
opponents are certainly the Mitsubishi drivers who
the Portuguese driver Carlos Sousa competes for
have won the ‘Dakar’ over the last few years. Howev-
the customer team “Team Lagos” in a Race Touareg
er, we also expect BMW to be very fast,” analyses Kris
11
2008 Dakar Rally
2008 Dakar Rally
Nissen. “Jean-Louis Schlesser’s Buggy is one unknown
5,736 kilometres against the clock
quantity, since we have hardly seen it in any rally
The drivers expect a particularly long and tough route
events this year.”
which meanders eight days through the desert region
of Mauritania alone. More than 5,700 kilometres
Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 further improved
must be completed against the clock on the way from
The Volkswagen factory team prepared itself for the
Lisbon to Dakar – it is the longest timed route since
“Dakar” challenge with an intensive test programme
2002. “We’re expecting a hard rally with a large
during the 2007 season. “We knew that the Touareg
amount of sandy sections. This event will certainly
is capable of winning, which is why we concentrated
be very hard for both man and machine,” believes
on the detail work during the tests,” says Volkswagen
Volkswagen factory driver Carlos Sainz.
Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “Our target was to
be prepared as soon as possible for the Dakar Rally.
Rest day in Nouakchott
We achieved this, and the ‘Dakar’ specification for
The traditional rest day is on 13 January in Nouak-
the Race Touareg was already defined in August and
chott, the Mauritanian capital city. Here, the drivers
we were able to approach the World Cup rounds in
have the opportunity to recharge their batteries for
Morocco and the United Arab Emirates as test races
the second half of the rally. However, the rest day
with the actual ‘Dakar’ car.”
signals the start of the rally’s most stressful period for
the teams, since all the race cars are stripped down
Anniversary “Dakar” starts in Lisbon
and undergo a complete inspection before being
A traditional and therefore highly challenging route
prepared for the second-half of the rally.
awaits the four Volkswagen factory drivers and their
opponents in the 30th running of the Dakar Rally. The
rally which runs for a total of 9,273 kilometres through
five countries starts for the third time in succession
from the Portuguese capital Lisbon on 5 January. The
teams complete 15 daily stages through Portugal,
Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and the Senegal before
arriving at the picturesque Lac Rose on 20 January.
12
13
Who’s who in the Volkswagen “Dakar” Team
14
Who’s who in the Volkswagen “Dakar” Team
Kris Nissen
Peter Utoft
Eduard Weidl
René Verbist
Gerard Zyzik
Kenneth Richardson
Volkswagen Motorsport Director
Team Manager
Technical Director
Car engineer Mark Miller
Car engineer Dieter Depping
Car engineer Carlos Sainz
Jean-Claude Vaucard
Donatus Wichelhaus
Rainer Fleischmann
Ernst Moser
Michael Bernard
Uwe Baldes
Technical Advisor
Director of Engine Development
Director of Electronics
Car engineer Carlos Sousa
Regulations
Marketing and Communications Manager
Andreas Lautner
Christoph Beck
Fabrice van Ertvelde
Andre Dietzel
Agnes Krüger
Research and Development
Service Vehicles
Car engineer Giniel de Villiers
Communication
Communication
15
Intensive detail work on Race Touareg
Simplifying work in the cockpit for the drivers
Detail work instead of big evolution steps was the
Fifteen days through the desert, along hard tracks
motto during preparation for the 2008 Dakar Rally.
and through soft sand, temperatures ranging between
“An important point was to simplify the drivers and
freezing point and 40 degrees Celsius: The Dakar
co-drivers work in the cockpit,” explains Kris Nissen.
Rally is one of the hardest tests in motorsport, not
“We could now implement things that previously had
only for the Volkswagen factory drivers, but also for
a much lower priority.” The possibility now exists to use
their rally cars, the Volkswagen Race Touareg 2. The
air-conditioning on particularly hot stages, thanks to
Volkswagen factory team has further optimised the
the improved sealing of the vehicle hardly any dust
280 hp TDI Diesel prototypes for the tough demands
now penetrates the cockpit. Alongside ergonomics
during an intensive development and test programme
and comfort, the Race Touareg also received a small
and, at the same time, adapted it to suit the changes
performance boost. “We worked on the rear suspen-
to the “Dakar” regulations.
sion geometry and improved the weight distribution
still further. As a result, we could also make progress
Tests and endurance runs had priority
with the handling. The Race Touareg handles even
“We concentrated on optimising details of the Race
more neutrally now,” summarises Eduard Weidl.
Touareg 2 during the 2008 Dakar Rally preparations,”
16
explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.
Modifications to gearbox and air-restrictor
“For this reason, intensive tests with endurance runs
The technical regulations were changed for the 2008
had priority over participation in selected events.”
“Dakar”: Rally prototypes such as the Race Touareg
Preparation for the 2008 Dakar Rally started as the
can only be equipped with a five-speed gearbox;
cars crossed the finish line in January in 2007. “The
six-gears were previously permitted. An additional
last ‘Dakar’ indicated that our speed is very good.
challenge for the Volkswagen engineers as the
After all, we were credited with ten stage wins from
stresses are now distributed through fewer gears,
a possible fourteen. The target now was to optimise
and the steps between the gears are also larger. “We
numerous details,” explains Eduard Weidl, Technical
managed to develop a transmission that is just as
Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. “We undertook
durable. The drivers even found the gearbox to be
a so-called clean-up process. He completed huge
more comfortable during the first tests as they don’t
amount of detail work from rerouting individual
have to shift gear so frequently,” explains Kris Nissen.
cables to the use of new components.”
“However, the maximum speed is about 5 kph less due
17
to the new gearbox, but this affects the competition in
Successful tests and competitions
the same way.”
The development work for the 2008 Dakar Rally was
already completed in August: A ‘Dakar’ distance was
Innovative diesel technology
completed in a 6,000 kilometre endurance run in
The Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 is powered by an
June, and the team simulated the additional 4,000
innovative 2.5 litre TDI turbo diesel engine. “This
kilometres driven in liaison stages at Volkswagens
power unit has a number of advantages which make
proving ground in Ehra-Lessin. The Volkswagen Race
it suitable for use in cross country rallying,” comments
Touareg demonstrated its reliability at the following
Donatus Wichelhaus, Head of Engine Development
test in Tunisia in September by spooling off another
at Volkswagen Motorsport. “The engine has extremely
6,000 trouble free kilometres. “Afterwards we did a
good torque which is of particular benefit in sand.
quick service and entered it in the Moroccan Rally,”
Due to the lower fuel consumption, a diesel powered
explains Eduard Weidl. Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von
vehicle can start the longer stages with less fuel on
Zitzewitz finished the rally rather impressively with the
board which equates to a weight advantage of as
same vehicle that had already racked up more than
much as 200 kilograms compared to a car with spark
one “Dakar” distance: With a win.
ignition engine.”
The current regulations stipulate a reduction in the
diameter of the air restrictor by 1 mm to 38 millimetres
to limit the speed slightly of the top vehicles starting
the “Dakar”. “The reduction in the diameter of the
intake air restrictor presented the engine department
with a tricky task, but we found a good solution,”
explains Kris Nissen. “The total number of optimisations carried out on the entire car should completely
compensate for the limitations imposed by the regulations. I’d be surprised if we are slower than last year in
the 2008 ‘Dakar’.”
18
19
Technical Data
Technical Data
Engine
Construction
Cubic capacity
Power
Torque
Air intake restrictor
Engine management
Suspension
Five-cylinder ‘in-line’ TDI diesel engine, two-stage super charging system
with turbochargers and intercooler located longitudinally behind the
front suspension
2,500 cm3
approx 206 kW (280 hp)
over 600 Nm
38 mm (FIA regulation)
Bosch
Front & rear axles
Steering
Brake system
Wheels
Tyres
Double wishbone, two ZF Sachs spring/damper units per wheel
Servo assisted rack and pinion steering
Front and rear ventilated disc brakes (320 mm diameter),
aluminium brake calipers (six piston front and rear)
Size 7.2 x 16 Inch
BFGoodrich 235-85/16
Chassis/bodywork
Construction
Steel space-frame, two-door carbon-fibre composite bodywork
Transmission system
Gearbox
Final drive
Clutch
Longitudinally mounted five-speed sequential race gearbox
Permanent four-wheel drive, three mechanical differentials with viscous locking
Hydraulically operated ZF Sachs three-plate ceramic clutch
Performance
Acceleration
Maximum speed
20
Dimensions and weight
Length/width/height
Track width
Wheelbase
Minimum weight
4,171/1,996/1,762 mm
1,750 mm front/rear
2,820 mm
1,787.5 kg
0-100 kph in 6.9 seconds (solid terrain)
190 kph
21
Partners
Partners
Official partners
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Castrol is leading innovator in the lubrication market and represents power, dynamic and
BFGoodrich is renowned for its services to the motorsport and tyre industries for more than
fascination. The company operates internationally in over 145 countries and is regarded
130 years. BFGoodrich looks back on a history packed with adventure and innovation:
as the leading supplier of high-performance lubricants for engines and gearboxes. Castrol
Equipping the first cars in the USA to be sold with tubeless tyres, equipping the NASA space
is linked in a partnership with Volkswagen to forge the development of new lubrication
shuttle Columbia, numerous wins and title in rallying: WRC, IRC, Baja and Dakar Rally.
technologies. As a result of the solution-specific cooperation, exceptional high-tech products
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are frequently created, which go on to prove themselves in motorsport through their
performance and reliability.
www.castrol.com
22
23
Partners
Partners
There is no better platform than motorsport for demonstrating the performance of compo-
The Dürr concern is a leading international supplier of products, systems and services for
nents so visually to the public. As technical partner, ZF Sachs supplies many manufacturers
automobile manufacturing. The spectrum of services includes the important manufacturing
and teams around the world with high-tech clutches and dampers for racing purposes. The
levels of a vehicle: As system supplier, Dürr plans and builds paintshops and final assembly
experiences gained from circuit racing, rallying and truck racing function as impulse for the
facilities. In addition, Dürr supplies cleaning and filtration systems used in the production of
development in production with the automobile industry and bring benefits for every motorist.
engines and gearbox components. Approximately 90% of the concern’s turnover is made in
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the business area with automobile manufacturers and suppliers. Other important customer
groups served by Dürr include the mechanical engineering, chemical, pharmaceutical,
coating and aviation industries.
www.durr.com
The EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) with its headquarters in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
(USA), is the world’s leading developer and provider of technology and solutions for
Official Supplier
information infrastructures. Information is a company’s most valuable capital asset. The core
of EMC’s strategy is to use this capital to its maximum, to protect, to manage, to store and to
archive it. With efficient data-management solutions from EMC companies can extract the
maximum potential from their data at the lowest possible cost at any time.
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The MAN Commercial Vehicle Group with its headquarters in Munich is one of the leading
international suppliers of commercial vehicles and transport solutions. In the 2006 business
year the concern, which employs almost 34,000 people and sold almost 80,000 commercial
vehicles and 7,300 busses and bus chassis’, generated a turnover of Euro 8.7 billion.
Volkswagen Motorsport uses new all-wheel drive trucks from the TGS range as competition
support and to transport the entire logistic content.
www.man.de
24
25
A proven team
Michel Périn at the end of the season. Périn is considered the most succesful co-driver in cross country ral-
Volkswagen starts for the 2008 Dakar Rally with
lying with six World Cup titles and three “Dakar” wins.
a proven driver line-up and four factory entered
Volkswagen Race 2 Touareg: The pairings of Mark
The American Mark Miller also made his debut in the
Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa), Carlos
factory team in 2005. 2008 marks his third “Dakar”
Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France) and Giniel de
participation for Volkswagen. As in 2007, when he
Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa /Germany)
finished fourth, the former Investment Manager relies
contested the 2007 “Dakar” in these combina-
on co-driver Ralph Pitchford. The South African Giniel
tions. The newcomers Dieter Depping and Timo
de Villiers recorded the best ever result for a diesel
Gottschalk complete the squad. Although the two
vehicle in the marathon cross-country classic after
German drivers compete in their first “Dakar” with the
finishing second in the Race Touareg in 2006. “Our
Race Touareg they are, however, well-known in the
target is clear as a result: We want to win,” says de
Volkswagen team: They drove a race truck together in
Villiers. He finished second in the 2007 FIA Cross
2007. Depping previously worked for many years as
Country Rally World Cup together with his co-driver
test and development driver for Volkswagen.
and 15-time German Enduro Champion Dirk von
“We have an experienced and well-rehearsed team,”
Zitzewitz.
underlines Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “We saw a united team during the 2007 Dakar
Carlos Sousa in Team Lagos colours
Rally and we are convinced that this will also be the
“Team Lagos” is named after the entrant and well-
case in 2008.”
known organiser of sporting events in Portugal “Lagos
Premium Sports Events”. The Lisbon based customer
26
World Champion and former “Dakar” winner
team contests the Dakar Rally for the second time with
Double Rally World Champion Carlos Sainz is a
Carlos Sousa in a fifth Volkswagen Race Touareg 2.
member of the Volkswagen factory team since June
The 2003 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup title
2005. The Spaniard broke into cross country rallying
holder and winner of the opening stage in 2007
after ending his rally world championship career. He
is seen as “Dakar” local matador on the European
recorded his first victory in off-road rallying at the
stages. Like last year, the 41-year old Portuguese
2007 Rally Transibérico before clinching the FIA Cross
responds to the instructions of German co-driver and
Country Rally World Cup title together with co-driver
“Dakar” winner from 2001 and 2003 Andreas Schulz.
27
Biographies
Biographies
Dieter Depping (D)
Dieter Depping
Date/place of birth
“He is a thoroughly honest chap and excellent driver,”
Domicile
says co-driver Timo Gottschalk of factory driver Dieter
Marital status
Original profession
Current job
Hobbies
Depping. Three-time German Rally Champion, circuit
racer, test driver and car mechanic – Dieter Depping,
who drives a Race Touareg in the Dakar Rally for the
first time, is a motorsport multi-talent. “I’m looking for-
7 August 1966/Hanover (D)
Wedemark (D)
Married to Claudia,
daughters Jana and Carolin
Car mechanic
Rally driver
Mountain biking, fitness, historic cars
ward to the Dakar,” explains Depping. “This rally is the
biggest and most demanding challenge that exists in
motorsport.” Depping received a foretaste for dunes,
camping and the vast never-ending desert in 2007
when he drove a Race-Truck for Volkswagen. The man
from North Germany has long since been linked to
the Volkswagen brand: In the past he regularly drove
a Volkswagen Golf GTI in the 24-hour race at the
Nürburgring, was team driver during the 24-hour
world record run with the Volkswagen W12 Coupé
and tested a diverse array of Volkswagen race cars.
“It’s fantastic to be able to tackle this huge challenge
with this proven team and at the wheel of a Race
Touareg,” says Depping excitedly. The man from Lower
Saxony busies himself with horsepower in his leisure
time: His passion is the restoration vintage cars. He
also acts as Fleet Manager in his brother’s company.
He prefers to spend his free time with wife Claudia
and daughters Jana and Carolin.
28
Sporting career highlights
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2001
2002
2003
2004-06
2007
2008
1st place German Rally Trophy (Volkswagen Golf GTI)
1st place Group N German Rally Championship (Ford)
1st place German Rally Championship (Ford)
1st place German Rally Championship, 1st place Dutch Rally Championship,
4th place European Rally Championship (Ford)
1st place German Rally Championship, 1st place Dutch Rally Championship,
2nd place European Rally Championship (Ford)
1st place German Open (Ford)
1st place German Open, 3rd place German Rally Championship,
competed in one WRC round (Ford)
6th place German Rally Championship, 4th place Dutch Rally Championship (Ford)
24-hour race Nürburgring (Volkswagen Golf GTI)
24-hour race Nürburgring (Volkswagen Golf GTI)
3rd place German Rally Championship (Volkswagen Golf IV Kit Car),
driver during the 24-hour world record (Volkswagen W12 Coupé)
Volkswagen Motorsport test driver (Volkswagen Polo Super 1600)
Dakar Rally (Volkswagen)
Volkswagen Motorsport test driver
Dakar Rally (race truck for Volkswagen),
8th place overall and class victory in 24-hour race Nürburgring (Volkswagen Golf GTI),
Cross country rallysport as Volkswagen works driver (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
Dakar Rally as Volkswagen works driver with co-driver Timo Gottschalk (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
29
Biographies
Biographies
Timo Gottschalk (D)
Timo Gottschalk
Date/place of birth
Quietly and inconspicuously is how Timo Gottschalk,
Domicile
co-driver to Dieter Depping, goes about his work. As
Marital status
mechanical and vehicle test engineer his interest are
Original profession
Current job
Hobbies not only navigation, but also especially the vehicles.
“I’ve always been interested in technology,” explains
Timo Gottschalk, who also uses his knowledge to
28 August 1974/Neuruppin (D)
Berlin (D)
Single
Qualified mechanical engineer,
vehicle test engineer
Rally co-driver
Enduro, cycling, hiking
be actively involved during preparation of the Race
Touareg for the Dakar Rally. “In addition, Dieter and
I completed many test kilometres. This wealth of experience might prove to be very valuable during the
‘Dakar’.”
He has been captivated by cars and motorsport since
his early youth. Truck driver during his time doing
national service, workshop manager of small motorsport company, rally co-driver in classic rallies and
team coordinator: Timo Gottschalk made his hobby to
profession early on and made it to the top: He acted
as co-driver to Austrian Andreas Aigner in 2005 and
2006 in the Red Bull Skoda Team contesting the World
Rally Championship.
The single from Berlin is always on the move in private
1995 First event as rally co-driver
1997 Co-driver for Michael Neuschäfer-Rube, German Rally Championship (Ford)
1998 Co-driver for Michael Neuschäfer-Rube and Armin Holz, German Rally Championship (Ford/
Volkswagen), co-driver for Dieter Depping (Audi)
1999 Co-driver for Niklas Birr (Seat), one round of World Rally Championship
2000 Sporadic events in the German Rally Championship
2001 Co-driver for Carsten Mohe, German Rally Championship (Renault)
2002 Co-driver for Carsten Mohe, German Rally Championship (Renault),
Co-driver for Dieter Depping for tests and development (Volkswagen Polo S1600)
2004 Co-driver for Quirin Müller and Andreas Aigner (Mitsubishi),
co-driver for Armin Kremer, 2nd place Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (Mitsubishi)
2005 Co-driver for Andreas Aigner, four WRC rounds (Mitsubishi)
2006 Co-driver for Andreas Aigner, four WRC rounds (Skoda)
2007 Dakar Rally as co-driver for Dieter Depping (race truck for Volkswagen),
co-driver for Dieter Depping in the works team of Volkswagen (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2008 Co-driver for Dieter Depping in Dakar Rally in the works team of Volkswagen (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
life: Cycling and hiking number among his favourite
hobbies. He also enjoys meeting with friends at his
hometown north of Berlin to ride enduro.
30
31
Biographies
Biographies
Mark Miller (USA)
Mark Miller
Date/place of birth
Domicile
Marital status
Original profession
Current job
Hobbies
“To become a professional racing driver was the best
decision of my life. I just should have made it earlier,”
explains Mark Miller. In his youth he actually sacrificed
a promising career in motorbike racing to study. As
Volkswagen factory driver he now traces the path
in reverse: The investment manager withdrew from
the business to concentrate solely on his motorsport
24 October 1962/
Phoenix, Arizona (USA)
Arizona and Colorado (USA)
Married to Danielle,
sons Nick and Sam
Investments
Rally driver
Enduro motorcycles, mountain bikes,
fly fishing, snowmobiling
activities. Miller’s strength: He is one-hundred per cent
committed; for example he undertakes an intensive
fitness programme. His mental strength helps him to
concentrate but stay relaxed at the same time: “One
of my plus points is that I don’t target any unrealistic
goals and in doing so don’t put myself unnecessarily
under pressure.”
Miller, who is one of the few US Americans to start the
Dakar Rally, is regarded as a multi-talent. In 1979, he
competed in the SCORE Off-road Challenge for the
first time on a motorbike in his homeland, was successful in a NASCAR truck series, and scored several wins
in the Trophy Truck class of the famous Baja 1000 and
Baja 500 rallies.
1979 First participation in SCORE desert series on motorbike
1996 5th place SCORE International class 1 (Buggy)
1997 1st place NASCAR Ultra Wheels truck series
1998 6th place Moroccan Rally on motorbike (KTM)
1999 Silver medal in International Six Day Enduro in Portugal up to 250 cc 4-stroke class (KTM),
1st place AMA 4-stroke National Enduro championship
2000 1st place Trophy Truck class Nevada 2000, 3rd place Trophy Truck class Baja 2000 (GM),
2nd place Pikes Peak Hill Climb Sedan class (Cadillac)
2002 19th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Toyota Trophy (Toyota),
1st place Trophy Truck class Baja 500 (Chevrolet)
2003 1st place Trophy Truck class Baja 1000 / Baja 500 / Parker 425 (Chevrolet)
2004 Dakar Rally (Protruck Chevrolet), 1st place Trophy Truck class Baja 1000 (Chevrolet)
2005 6th place Baja Portalegre (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
2006 5th place Dakar Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2007 4th place Dakar Rally, class win Baja 500 in the USA, 5th place Moroccan Rally (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
2008 Dakar Rally as Volkswagen works driver with co-driver Ralph Pitchford (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
The American, who is a passionate helicopter pilot,
enjoys fly fishing or snowmobiling in his spare time.
“My two sons Nick and Sam love football, I often go to
watch them play,” he explains.
32
33
Biographies
Biographies
Ralph Pitchford
Ralph Pitchford (RSA)
Date/place of birth
Calm, reserved and always focussed – this is how the
Domicile
South African Ralph Pitchford is viewed within the
Marital status
Volkswagen team. He has been co-driver to US Ameri-
Original profession
can Mark Miller since the 2007 Dakar Rally. “We work
Current job
Hobbies
perfectly together,” enthuses Pitchford. “We can discuss
23 February 1962/Bloemfontein (RSA)
Pretoria (RSA)
Married to Dorothy
Degree in mechanical engineering
Rally co-driver
Off-road Enduro, motorcycles
politics at breakfast but only need a few words in the
cockpit to make ourselves understood. We also have a
deep respect for each other.”
Ralph Pitchford has gathered experience in different
functions in cross country rallying. He competed in
enduro races, worked as mechanic for large motorbike
teams and for leading teams in the car class before
making his debut as co-driver in 2004. He won the
South African Off-Road Championship twice alongside Alfie Cox. He finished fourth in the 2007 “Dakar”
alongside Mark Miller.
Their passion for motorbikes bonds Miller and Pitchford. “We raced against each other in enduro races in
the nineteen-nineties,” remembers Pitchford. Between
1980
1989
1999
1998-2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Debut in motocross competitions
South African Off-road Motorcycle Champion (200ccm)
Participation in “International Six Days Enduro”, Portugal
Mechanic for Alfie Cox and Jordi Arcarons in Dakar Rally (motorcycle)
Mechanic for Luc Alphand in Dakar Rally (BMW)
South African Off-road Champion as co-driver for Alfie Cox (Class D),
Chief mechanic for Colin McRae in Dakar Rally (Nissan)
South African Champion as co-driver for Alfie Cox (BMW),
Co-driver for Alfie Cox, 15th place Dakar Rally (BMW)
Co-driver for Mark Miller in the Volkswagen works team (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
Co-driver for Mark Miller, 4th place Dakar Rally, class win Baja 500 in the USA, 5th place
Moroccan Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
Co-driver for Mark Miller in the Dakar Rally in the works team of Volkswagen (Volkswagen
Race Touareg 2)
the rallies he organises motorbike adventure tours
through South Africa’s fascinating landscape and
manages a motorbike business. His latest hobby: “I’m
restoring a vintage motorbike from 1924. I even have
to reproduce parts that are no longer available.”
34
35
Biographies
Biographies
Carlos Sainz (E)
Carlos Sainz
Date/place of birth
Sainz, known as “El Matador” by his fans, looks back
Domicile
on a peerless career in the World Rally Championship:
Marital status
Current job
Hobbies
He led the all-time WRC winners list with 26 victories
till the middle of 2006, finished the World Championship eleven times in the top-three, two World Champi-
12 April 1962/Madrid (E)
Madrid (E)
Married to Reyes, daughters Blanca
and Anna, son Carlos
Rally driver
Football, squash, tennis, motocross
onship titles distinguish his career. The Spaniard took a
cockpit in cross country rallying afterwards. In his first
“Dakar” in 2006 he took four stage victories, and in
2007 he led the rally for four days. He finally made
the break through in off-road sport by winning the
2007 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. In Michel
Périn, the most succesful navigator in cross country
rallying, Sainz found the ideal co-driver. “He stays cool
even in difficult situations, and works precisely and
highly concentrated,” says the co-driver of his drivers
character.
Carlos Sainz has had a soft spot for every type of sport
since his early teens: He was Spanish Squash Champion at 16 years of age and played football successfully
before electing to concentrate on motorsport. In his
hometown Madrid, where he lives with his wife Reyes
and children Carlos, Blanca and Anna, he is involved
with the Real Madrid football club, plays tennis in his
free time and likes to go hunting. His interests have
recently been captured by the young karting career of
1980 First rally (Renault)
1990 1st place World Rally Championship, four wins (Toyota)
1991 2nd place World Rally Championship, five wins (Toyota)
1992 1st place World Rally Championship, four wins (Toyota)
1994 2nd place World Rally Championship, one win (Subaru)
1995 2nd place World Rally Championship, three wins (Subaru)
1996 3rd place World Rally Championship, one win (Ford)
1997 3rd place World Rally Championship, two wins (Ford)
1998 2nd place World Rally Championship, two wins (Toyota)
2003 3rd place World Rally Championship, one win (Citroën)
2004 4th place World Rally Championship, one win (Citroën)
2005 3rd place Baja Portalegre (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2),
two World Rally Championship rounds (Citroën)
2006 11th place Dakar Rally, 10th place UAE Desert Challenge, Tunisian Rally and Moroccan Rally
(Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2007 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, 9th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Transibérico Rally, 2nd place
Moroccan Rally, 2nd place UAE Desert Challenge (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2008 Dakar Rally as Volkswagen works driver with co-driver Michel Périn (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
son Carlos. Sainz also runs a kart centre in the Spanish
capital.
36
37
Biographies
Biographies
Michel Périn (F)
Michel Périn
Date/place of birth
“I love my job and I enjoy working together with Carlos
Domicile
Sainz,” explains co-driver Michel Périn. The Frenchman
Marital status
Current job
Hobbies
is renowned for his accurate and meticulous preparation. “I have a checklist like that of an aircraft pilot
which I work from,” he says of his recipe for success.
19 January 1957/Saint-Mihiel (F)
Epernay (F)
Partner Marie-Christine,
daughter Camille
Rally co-driver
Mountain biking, swimming
“My meticulousness could well be my only weakness
in the cockpit,” he says grinning. “It can happen that I
prepare things so well that I forget to go to bed.”
The success speaks for itself: With 24 overall victories
from 51 events he is regarded as one of the most
successful co-drivers. He recorded three of these wins
at the Dakar Rally alone. In addition, Périn won the
FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup as co-driver for
the sixth time in the 2007 season to add to his four
consecutive titles between 1993 and 1996 and one in
2005.
He is also very accurate in his free time: Together with
partner Marie-Christine, a former rally co-driver, he is
having a 70-year old house restored in his hometown
of Epernay close to Reims: “I have a lot of fun working
with the craftsmen and spurring them on to produce
work of great quality.”
Mountain biking and swimming number among the
1986 Co-driver for François Chatriot, 2nd place French Rally Championship (Renault)
1989 Co-driver for François Chatriot, 1st place French Rally Championship (BMW)
1990 Co-driver for François Chatriot, 1st place French Rally Championship (BMW)
1991 Co-driver for François Chatriot, three World Rally Championship rounds (Subaru)
1992 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue, two wins (Citroën)
1993 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, two wins (Citroën)
1994 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, five wins, incl. Dakar Rally (Citroën)
1995 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, four wins, incl. Dakar Rally (Citroën)
1996 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, four wins, incl. Dakar Rally (Citroën)
1997 Co-driver for Pierre Lartigue (Citroën), three wins
2004 Co-driver for Bruno Saby (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
2005 Co-driver for Bruno Saby, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, three wins (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
2006 Co-driver for Bruno Saby, 11th place Dakar Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
Co-driver for Carlos Sainz, 10th place UAE Desert Challenge, Tunisian Rally and Moroccan Rally
2007 Co-driver for Carlos Sainz, 1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, 9th place Dakar Rally, 1st place
Transibérico Rally, 2nd place Moroccan Rally, 2nd place UAE Desert Challenge (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
2008 Co-driver for Carlos Sainz in the Dakar Rally in the Volkswagen works team (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
sports he pursues to relax away from the cockpit.
38
39
Biographies
Biographies
Giniel de Villiers (RSA)
Giniel de Villiers
Date/place of birth
“I’ve loved motorsport ever since I was a small child. I
Domicile
had my own kart when I was four years old. Racing is
Marital status
in my blood,” believes Giniel de Villiers. The South Afri-
Current job
can was a successful touring car driver before starting
Hobbies
25 March 1972/Robertson (RSA)
Stellenbosch (RSA)
Single
Rally driver
Golf, motor bike riding
his career in cross country rallying. After winning five
touring car titles in his homeland – four of them in
succession – he took up an entirely new challenge: For
the 2000 season he jumped from the level tarmac
of circuit racing to the rough tracks of cross country.
Brilliantly: Only one year later he won his first national
title in off-road racing.
Giniel de Villiers celebrated the greatest result to date
for the Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 after finishing second in the 2006 Dakar Rally. He recorded four stage
victories during the 2007 “Dakar”: “In desert rallies
you have to overcome new challenges on a daily basis,
be very flexible and stay concentrated to the very last
metre – and this is what I love.”
“Ginny” is permanently on the move in his free time:
“I’m an outdoor person. I like to spend my time kite
surfing, playing golf or riding my motorbike.” A further
interest is the property business: de Villiers occasionally
works in the family business in the Winelands close to
1993 First touring car race in South Africa
1994 1st place South African Production Car Championship (Nissan)
1995 South African Touring Car Championship (Nissan)
1996 South African Touring Car Championship (Nissan)
1997 1st place South African Touring Car Championship (Nissan)
2000 1st place South African Touring Car Championship (Nissan),
South African Off-road Championship (Nissan)
2001 1st place South African Off-road Championship, Production Car class (Nissan)
2003 5th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Moroccan Rally (Nissan)
2004 7th place Dakar Rally, South African Off-road Championship, three wins (Nissan)
2005 4th place Dakar Rally (Nissan),
2nd place Moroccan Rally, 2nd place Rallye d’Orient (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
2006 2nd place Dakar Rally, 2nd place Tunisian Rally, 1st place Transibérico Rally, 1st place Moroccan Rally
2007 11th place Dakar Rally, Baja 500 in the USA, 2nd place FIA Cross Country World Cup, 1st place
Moroccan Rally, 3rd place UAE Desert Challenge (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2008 Dakar Rally as Volkswagen works driver with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
Cape Town.
40
41
Biographies
Biographies
Dirk von Zitzewitz (D)
Dirk von Zitzewitz
Date/place of birth
Dirk von Zitzewitz was, like his driver Giniel de Villiers,
Domicile
already infected with the motorsport virus in his youth.
Marital status
“My father and my brother Bert raced motorbikes,” ex-
Current job
plains Dirk von Zitzewitz. “That’s why it was clear from
Hobbies
an early stage that I would follow in their footsteps.”
14 October 1968/Eutin (D)
Karlshof (D)
Married to Sabine
Rally co-driver, organiser of motorbike
training and tours
Motorbike riding, the desert
He competed in his first race at 14-years of age, five
years later he was German Enduro Champion for the
first time. “I opted for a career in professional motorsport whilst studying to become an architect.”
As 15-time German Enduro Champion the man from
northern Germany was winning on two-wheels and
also contested the Dakar Rally on a motorbike before
finding a new challenge as navigator in cross country
rallying. “I have a talent for finding the right way,”
explains the 39-year old professional co-driver.
Even after jumping into the cockpit of a Volkswagen
Race Touareg, “Schnietzel” – as he is called by his
driver – remains true to two-wheeled sport. “Riding an
enduro is the perfect way for me to keep fit. I have also
been organising motorbike tours through the desert
for years.” Dirk von Zitzewitz prefers to spend his free
time on long walks along the Baltic coast with his wife
Sabine and Labrador Hugo.
42
1983 First competitive motorbike race
1987-88 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 250 cc (Honda)
1989 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 250 cc (KTM)
1990-91 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 250 cc (Suzuki)
1992-93 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 250 cc (KTM)
1994 1st place German Enduro Championship, over 500 cc (KTM)
1997 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 400 cc,
5th place Motorbike Classification Dakar Rally, “Rookie of the Year”, best German rider (KTM)
2001 1st place German Enduro Championship, up to 125 cc (Suzuki)
2002 Co-driver for Mark Miller, 19th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Toyota-Trophy (Toyota)
2004 Co-driver for Mark Miller, Dakar Rally (Protruck-Chevrolet)
2005 Co-driver for Robby Gordon, 12th place Dakar Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg),
Co-driver for Mark Miller, 6th place Baja Portalegre (Volkswagen Race Touareg)
2006 Co-driver for Mark Miller, 5th place Dakar Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2),
Co-driver for Giniel de Villiers, 2nd place Tunisian Rally, 1st place Transibérico Rally, 1st place
Moroccan Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2007 Co-driver for Giniel de Villiers, 11th place Dakar Rally, Baja 500 in the USA, 2nd place FIA Cross
Country World Cup, 1st place Moroccan Rally, 3rd place UAE Desert Challenge (Volkswagen Race
Touareg 2)
2008 Co-driver for Giniel de Villiers in the Dakar Rally in the Volkswagen works team (Volkswagen
Race Touareg 2)
43
Carlos Sousa (P)
Carlos Sousa
Date/place of birth
In his free time he enjoys exploring the expanse of the
Domicile
Atlantic Ocean on his boat, in his job as rally driver
Marital status
he fights the loneliness of the African desert: Carlos
Current job
Sousa is a man who lives under the open sky many
Hobbies
18 January 1966/Lisbon (P)
Lisbon (P)
Married, son Diego
Rally driver
Boats
weeks a year.
During the Dakar Rally the Portuguese driver, who lives
in Lisbon with wife and son, is seen as local matador
on the opening stages. After all, the tracks from the
start in the capital to the Algarve are familiar territory
for the four-time Portuguese Off-road Champion. After
winning one FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup title
and diverse top-five positions in the Dakar Rally the
quiet and permanently well-humoured rally professional is a celebrated star in his homeland.
Sousa, who is today 41-years old, drove in his first
off-road rally in 1989 and single-mindedly forged his
career in various teams. Since 1996 he has made a
total of twelve starts in the Dakar Rally and in doing so
has collected valuable experience in this most famous
of cross country rallies.
Carlos Sousa competes for the Volkswagen customer
team “Team Lagos” since 2006. In 2007, he held the
overall lead of the marathon cross country classic on
the first two days.
44
1989
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
First cross country rallies
1st place Portuguese Cross Country Championship, 12th place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi)
10th place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi)
1st place Portuguese Cross Country Championship (Mitsubishi)
1st place Portuguese Cross Country Championship, 1st place Baja Portugal (Mitsubishi)
1st place Baja Portugal (Mitsubishi)
1st place Portuguese Cross Country Championship, 5th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Baja Portugal,
2nd place Baja Spain (Mitsubishi)
2nd place Portuguese Cross Country Championship, 5th place Dakar Rally, 1st place Baja Portugal,
2nd place Baja Spain (Mitsubishi)
1st place FIA Cross Country World Cup, 4th place Dakar Rally, 3rd place Italian Baja, 1st place Baja
Portugal, 2nd place Moroccan Rally, 1st place Baja Greece, 1st place Rallye d’Orient,
2nd place Por las Pampas Rally (Mitsubishi)
1st place Baja Spain, 1st place Baja Portugal, 1st place Italian Baja, 3rd place Moroccan Rally,
2nd place Baja Portalegre (Mitsubishi)
7th place Dakar Rally, 11th place Baja Portalegre (Nissan)
7th place Dakar Rally (Nissan),
3rd place Moroccan Rally, 2nd place Baja Spain, 4th place UAE Desert Challenge in Team Lagos
7th place Dakar Rally, 3rd place Transibérico Rally, 4th place Moroccan Rally in Team Lagos
Dakar Rally in Team Lagos with co-driver Andreas Schulz (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
45
Andreas Schulz (D)
Andreas Schulz
Date/place of birth
The Munich-born man is a perfect example of some-
Domicile
body making the most of their chances in motorsport:
Marital status
In 1982 he worked as mechanic for Walter Röhrl in a
Original profession
factory team before changing from understudy to take
Current job
Hobbies
on a leading role. In the meantime, Andreas Schulz has
3 March 1955/Munich (D)
Dubai (UAE)
Single
Master car mechanic
Master car mechanic
Skiing
built his own motorsport career during which he has
become the only German to win the Dakar Rally twice.
It was desert rallying that gave him the opportunity
to progress from mechanic to navigator in the cockpit. In 1986 he made his first acquaintance with the
Dakar Rally from the cockpit of a service-truck for
fellow countryman Erwin Weber. Between 1989 and
1991 the German supported the Spaniard Carlos
Sainz as technician on the way to his first World Rally
Championship title.
Since 1990 cross country rally drivers have not only
relied on the Dubai residents practical skills, but also
on his co-driving abilities. In 2001, he claimed his first
Dakar Rally victory alongside Jutta Kleinschmidt, his
second overall victory came as co-driver to Hiroshi
Masuoka in 2003. In 2006 Schulz accompanied
Carlos Sainz on his “Dakar” debut. The German has
worked with the Portuguese driver Carlos Sousa since
the middle of 2006. “We’ve known each other for
1997 Co-driver for Hiroshi Masuoka, 4th place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi)
2000 Co-driver for Hiroshi Masuoka, 6th place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi),
Co-driver for Jutta Kleinschmidt, 2nd place Rally Por las Pampas (Mitsubishi)
2001 Co-driver for Jutta Kleinschmidt, 1st place Dakar Rally, 1st place Italian Baja, 2nd place Moroccan Rally,
2nd place Baja Portugal, 2nd place Master Rally (Mitsubishi)
2002 Co-driver for Kleinschmidt, 2nd place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi),
Co-driver for Hiroshi Masuoka, 2nd place Moroccan Rally (Mitsubishi)
2003 Co-driver for Hiroshi Masuoka, 1st place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi),
Co-driver for Andrea Mayer, 5th place Tunisian Rally (Mitsubishi)
2004 Co-driver for Hiroshi Masuoka, 1st place UAE Desert Challenge (Mitsubishi),
Co-driver for Andrea Mayer, 5th place Dakar Rally (Mitsubishi)
2005 Co-driver for Carlos Sainz, 3rd place Baja Portalegre (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2006 Co-driver for Carlos Sainz, 11th place Dakar Rally (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
Co-driver for Carlos Sousa in Team Lagos, 3rd place Moroccan Rally, 2nd place Baja Spain,
4th place UAE Desert Challenge (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
2007 Co-driver for Carlos Sousa in Team Lagos, 7th place Dakar Rally, 3rd place Transibérico Rally
2008 Co-driver for Carlos Sousa in the Dakar Rally in Team Lagos (Volkswagen Race Touareg 2)
years and also get on well with one another outside
the cockpit”, says Schulz.
46
47
Fit for the 2008 Dakar Rally
co-drivers are fit. Under the supervision of Dr Johannes Peil, the sport doctors prepare individual training
More than two weeks through five countries, ap-
programmes for each Volkswagen factory driver.
proximately 5,700 competitive kilometres through
Several drivers undertake additional private prepara-
desert, mountains and along hard gravel tracks: The
tions, like Mark Miller for example who completed an
Dakar Rally demands record performances from the
extensive sports programme in the United States. “A
Volkswagen factory drivers and the four Race Touareg
special stamina training programme was developed
prototypes. Whoever aims to survive the marathon
for me, which takes up many hours of the day during
from Lisbon to Dakar must be perfectly equipped –
the intensive preparation phase,” explains Miller.
in the preparation of the vehicles, with navigation,
organisation and obviously physical fitness, because
Vaccination and caution
the moment the drivers and co-drivers leave the
Preparation for the 15-day trip through Africa and
bivouac they are on their own. For this challenge the
Europe requires additional precautionary measures:
drivers and co-drivers prepare meticulously for every
Driver, co-driver and every team member in the ac-
eventuality.
companying armada receives a comprehensive series
of inoculations before the rally and take additional
Power for tough desert days
precautions against Malaria during the event. The
Long stressful days in the cockpit require high-levels
medics also highlight precautionary measures to be
of concentration for hours on end, hard knocks pun-
taken when eating and drinking. “Orange juice, salad,
ish the body on rough tracks, heat during the day
unpeeled fruit or raw meats are absolute taboo for
and cold during the night, 45 kilogramme wheels
every team member,” explains team doctor Beate
to manhandle when changing tyres or digging-out
Zerbe.
a bogged down car – in many situations the Dakar
Rally demands that drivers and co-drivers have the
Vehicle technology: Help for self-help
perfect physique. Only those who are 100 per cent fit
Not only must the drivers stay top fit, but also the Race
can work at the highest level of concentration and so
Touareg. Unexpected incidents during the rally are
avoid making the smallest mistakes.
allowed for in the “Dakar”: Sometimes it is a puncture
on the hard Moroccan gravel tracks or, due to the
48
A team of doctors and physiotherapists from the
enormous forces, damage which must be repaired en
Sport Clinic Bad Nauheim see that the drivers and
route. “The moment we set off in the mornings we are
49
responsible for our own fate,” says Volkswagen factory
technicians, physiotherapists, team management and
driver Giniel de Villiers. “We can only call in the tech-
engineers are en route along the so-called Service
nicians for help when we are back in the bivouac.” For
Route that runs parallel to the actual rally route. In
this reason the drivers and co-drivers must also know
the evening the entire team meets in the bivouac.
the technical details of their vehicles.
The Volkswagen drivers and following armada camp
overnight far away from large towns. For the mam-
Technical workshop for drivers and co-drivers
moth adventure Dakar an elaborate logistic plan is
The drivers can only count on the help of the Race
required, because it is not only spares and tools, but
Trucks in the competition during the two-day mara-
also approximately 80 one-man tents, sleeping bags,
thon stage. “Therefore it is all the more important to
iso-mattresses, snacks and much more including per-
be able to prepare the vehicle for the next stage or
sonal clothing that must be transported in the trucks
solve smaller problems,” explains Dieter Depping’s
or service cars. Breakfast and dinner are served by
co-driver Timo Gottschalk. As mechanical engineer
the organiser from a central canteen in the bivouac.
he has the technical know-how for this. So that all the
“We can hardly buy anything at all en route, which is
drivers and co-drivers are equally familiar with their
why we must plan exactly what is transported,” ex-
rally car Volkswagen Motorsport organises work-
plains logistic expert Paco Crous.
shops: Dieter Depping, Mark Miller, Giniel de Villiers,
Carlos Sainz and their co-drivers carry out small
Early booking of hotels and flights
repairs and maintenance under the supervision of the
The team’s travel arrangements are also made long
engineers. Every Race Touareg has an emergency kit
before the Dakar Rally starts: Team Manager Peter
on board equipped with tools and spare parts such
Utoft prepares a detailed itinerary based on the
as toe-links, control units, sensors, hoses and drive-
length of each stage. Visa are applied for, hotels
shafts. Troubleshooting and improvisation are trained
booked at the final destination, flight tickets from
together – since it is often a question of solving a
Dakar to Europe are bought and ferry crossings
problem temporarily before handing over the vehicle
reserved for rally and service vehicles. “The rally
to the team specialists at the bivouac.
only actually finishes for us when the entire team has
returned safely to Germany,” explains Utoft.
Elaborate organisation during preparation
The Volkswagen drivers are not alone on the way
from Lisbon to Dakar: The accompanying armada of
50
51
Navigation
Navigation – the key to success
Navigation
colours,” says Dirk von Zitzewitz. “On top of this come
last minute changes to the route, which we have to
To quickly find your way in the desert – this is one of
complete.” Michel Périn is considered to be particu-
the greatest challenges in the Dakar Rally. Navigation
larly meticulous: “I only feel happy when I’ve prepared
is the magic word when the paved roads peter out
perfectly. We drive in fast cars, so the route flies past
after the rally armada crosses to Africa. Then it is the
even quicker and therefore the commands given by
basic mastery of navigational skills, good prepara-
the co-driver must be even more accurate. The better
tion and the wealth of experience of co-drivers Timo
a co-driver personalises the road-book the faster they
Gottschalk, Michel Périn, Ralph Pitchford and Dirk von
find their feet. The road-book contains a column with
Zitzewitz that count.
symbols, one with descriptions and one with distances.
I enter both sets of information in one column so I
Modern GPS navigation systems that guide every-
recognise it at a glance.”
body precisely along the world’s road networks are
prohibited in cross country rallying. The onboard GPS
GPS as spy in the cockpit
only has a limited number of functions such as the
“The GPS is more of a surveillance instrument that a
compass bearings. The job of the co-driver is to find
help,” explains co-driver Timo Gottschalk. The way
the exact route as given in and stipulated by the sche-
points to be passed (WPM, Way Point Masked) are
matic road-book. “In the road-book which we receive
initially invisible. Only when a competitor closes to
every evening before each stage, junctions, distinctive
within three kilometres of a WPM can the driving
locations, bridges and danger points are recorded
direction by deduced from the GPS. The moment the
from the cockpit perspective in the form of abbrevia-
point is within 200 metres (in villages 90 metres) con-
tions and arrows, accompanying this information are
firmation is received and the display is extinguished. In
short descriptions and kilometre information,” explains
this way the stewards can check whether the vehicle
Dirk von Zitzewitz.
is moving along the correct route. On stages where
vision is severely restricted so-called Way Point Eclipse
Co-drivers prepare road-books in the evenings
(WPE) are established. There become visible when a
Before every stage each of the co-drivers adapts
team reaches the previous way point.
the road-book based on a unique personal system.
“I mark particularly important information such as
direction change and danger points with different
52
53
Reliable packhorses of the desert
ensure they can continue on the journey. During the
marathon stage the Race-Trucks are actually the only
They are the helpers in the background, the desert
help allowed in the bivouac, since the entire team is
packhorses: The Volkswagen team’s eleven MAN
unable to offer any service assistance on these two
trucks: They transport equipment and spares from
rally days.
bivouac to bivouac day-in day-out. Every truck has a
specific task: Five examples of the MAN TGS model
Rapid task force with important function
transport parts and equipment for the Volkswagen
In contrast to the pure Race-Prototypes producing be-
Race Touareg 2. A shower and small kitchen have
tween 700 and 1200 hp the trucks used by Volkswa-
been installed in addition to the storage space in one
gen are specially modified production based vehicles
MAN TGA. One FE 2000 contains an office, a double
equipped with roll-over cages, rally suspension,
cabin transports material for the trucks and service
bucket seats and a tyre pressure regulation system for
vehicles.
desert use. The trucks are packed full of tools, tyres,
spare parts and everything which could be needed
Race Trucks offer support in competition
by the mechanics when on the road. The drivers of
The three MAN Race Trucks in the Volkswagen team
the two MAN TGS 4x4 and one MAN TGS 6x6 Race-
are assigned an important role: They compete in
Trucks are Morten Karl, Josep Pujol and François
the event and every minute counts – but they do not
Verbist, all experienced desert raiders. They do not
chase victory in the truck classification. Because the
only complete the full rally route and offer technical
Race Trucks start as registered competitors they com-
help in an emergency, but they must also prepare
plete – in contrast to the regular Service Trucks – the
their own trucks after every stage for the following
same route as the Race Touareg, and if one of them
day. Nights with very little sleep are the rule. “The
needs help on the journey between Lisbon and Dakar
importance of our fast trucks is often underestimated.
the Trucks are quickly at their side to help. The mo-
They are back-up for our Race Touareg on the stages.
ment the rally cars leave the bivouac in the mornings,
For them finishing is everything, and correspond-
they are not allowed to accept any outside assistance.
ingly not a single vehicle in our fleet has suffered a
Only support from other rally competitors such as the
technical related retirement,” emphasises Volkswagen
Race-Trucks is permitted. If an accident or other ex-
Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.
tensive damage occurs the hopes of the Volkswagen
factory drivers rest in the hands of the truck crew who
54
55
Service Vehicles
The other way to Dakar
Service Vehicles
actual rally cars: They have a stable roll-over cage,
Recaro sport seats with six-point harness, intercom
When the Volkswagen Race Touareg prototypes roll
system for every occupant, special off-road tyres, sand
off the start ramp in Lisbon on 5 January the crews
sheets and an additional fuel tank enabling a range
are not left alone. At the same time the Volkswagen
of 800 km off-road. As a rule, the Service Touareg is
factory team also makes its way to Dakar: Mechanics,
a three-seater equipped with an additional luggage
engineers, physiotherapists and team management
compartment and roof box, the four-wheel drive
travel too. The regulations stipulate that, with the
Transporter has enough space for four people and
exception of the Sport Bosses and press representa-
equipment, and when necessary also a roof rack.
tives, every team member must travel by road vehicle
to Dakar and exactly follow a predetermined service
Strong in traffic, advantages in the desert
route. This route often runs parallel to the rally track,
The Transporter and Service-Touareg have proven
is usually easier to master, but often contains off-road
themselves in the desert over the years: The approxi-
sequences and sand sections in Africa.
mate 80 strong team, including all personal baggage,
travels comfortably from bivouac to bivouac with
Volkswagen backs Touareg and Transporter
these trusty vehicles.
Volkswagen relies on the Touareg V6 TDI and
Volkswagen Transporter with 4MOTION drive as
The Dakar Rally nevertheless remains a tough test
service vehicles. Special modifications such as off-road
for the Volkswagen Race Touareg as it does for the
suspension, higher ground clearance and a special
accompanying armada. “A Dakar Rally equates to
aluminium skid pan are required for the rigorous
the stress and strain of approximately 100,000 kilo-
desert event with its multitudes of sand dunes, hard
metres in normal traffic,” says Christoph Beck, who is
gravel tracks and water splashes. The engine and
responsible as Project Leader at Volkswagen for the
powertrain remain untouched and provide an excel-
service fleet.
lent level of agility in standard trim off-road.
As safe as a competition vehicle
Safety assumes a particularly prominent role in offroad rallies and, as result, the Volkswagen team’s service vehicles are equipped as comprehensively as the
56
57
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 1 · Saturday, 5 January 2008
Leg 2 · Sunday, 6 January 2008
Lisbon (Portugal) – Portimão (Portugal)
Portimão (Portugal) – Malaga (Spain)
Liaison: 104 km Special stage: 120 km Liaison: 262 km
Total: 486 km
Total: 535 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Like 2006 and 2007, the Dakar Rally starts in the Portuguese capital Lisbon. As the largest city
The Dakar Rally’s second stage links two tourist destinations: Portimão on the Portuguese Al-
in Portugal with the most important port, the government seat, the supreme state and govern-
garve and Malaga, with more than 500,000 inhabitants one of Spain’s largest cities. Malaga
ment authorities and seven universities Lisbon is the country’s economical and cultural centre.
is the capital of the Costa del Sol, which is one of the most popular holiday destinations on
The rally centre is in Belem on the banks of the Rio Tejo River.
the Iberian Peninsular because of year round mild climate.
Volkswagen works driver Carlos Sainz
Volkswagen works co-driver Ralph Pitchford
“Lisbon hosts the start of the Dakar Rally for the third time. The first stage which takes us south
“The second stage is identical to the one from 2007. For the opening two stages in the Portu-
to the Algarve is a classic rally track through cork tree forests. As this stage was extremely
guese and Spanish forests it’s really a question of not taking any unnecessary risks, because
sandy last year a new route will be driven through a military proving ground in 2008. With a
whoever damages their car and misses the ferry to Africa has a big problem. The second day
length of 120 kilometres this is more than just a warm-up.”
in Spain is particularly tactical: The start positions for the first African stage are decided here.”
Lisboa
Portimão
100 km
58
S pa n i e n
S pa i n
Espagn e
S pa n i e n
S pa i n
Espag n e
Malaga
Portimão
100 km
59
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 3 · Monday, 7 January 2008
Leg 4 · Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Nador (Morocco) – Er Rachidia (Morocco)
Er Rachidia (Morocco) – Ouarzazate (Morocco)
Total: 717 km
Total: 584 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
The “Dakar” reaches Africa in Nador. Nador is populated by more than 300,000 inhabitants
Ouarzazate was founded by the French Colonial Administration in 1928. It is located between
and is located on a lagoon. The town is one leading commercial centres in Morocco. The
the high Atlas and Antiatlas mountain ranges as “Gate to the Desert” on strategic passes
airport is serviced by several European discount airlines. 45,000 people live in Er Rachidia,
leading towards Marrakesh und Agadir. There are film studios in Ouarzazate where epic
which was named after Sultan Moulay Rachid in the 17th century.
screen adaptations such as “Gladiator” and “Joseph” were produced.
Volkswagen works co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz
Volkswagen works co-driver Michel Périn
“The real Dakar Rally starts in Nador. At 372 kilometres the first African stage is relatively
“The route from Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate also consists mainly of hard Moroccan tracks, but
long. We experience the expanse of Africa for the first time on this day. Typical Moroccan
we will also make our first foray into the sand. The majority of the teams know this region very
stages with deep erosions, hard edges and many stones await us. Experience has shown that
well since the Dakar Rally has followed this terrain frequently over the last few years. Stages
the risk of punctures is extremely large on this terrain.”
of the Moroccan Rally are also held in this region.”
Nador
M o ro c c o
M o ro c c o
M a ro c
Er Rachidia
Er Rachidia
Mo ro cco
Mo ro cco
Ma ro c
100 km
60
Ouarzazate
Algerien
Algeria
Algérie
100 km
A l g e r i en
Algeria
Algérie
61
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 5 · Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Leg 6 · Thursday, 10 January 2008
Ouarzazate (Morocco) – Guelmim (Morocco)
Guelmim (Morocco) – Smara (Morocco)
Total: 834 km
Total: 625 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Guelmim, with almost 100,000 inhabitants, lies on the main highway running parallel to the
Smara, the capital of the province Es Semara, lies in the Western Sahara which is occupied
Atlantic through the Western Sahara to Mauritania. The town is the regional commercial cen-
by Morocco. The 40,000 inhabitant town was formed in 1869 as rest place for caravans. The
tre and garrison city. The town has developed as a commercial centre since the 11th century.
remains of a stone fort are testimony to a turbulent history. The tribal chieftain Maalainin who
Gold, salt and livestock and fabrics are traded here.
led the nomad tribes in a war against the colonial masters lived in the fort.
Volkswagen works driver Giniel de Villiers
“The beginning of this long stage after the starting in Ouarzazate runs across rough tracks.
“The opening 25 kilometres of the stage follow the sea; this route will certainly be fantastic to
Awaiting us later is the first range of dunes that we must cross. The stage finishes with several
drive with many picturesque landscapes. The stranded ship wrecks are spectacular. I also ex-
fast sections. I think this stage will be the most difficult to this point. Parts of this route were
pect the navigation to be challenging as there are many junctions in this region, as co-driver
already driven in the Moroccan Rally.”
you have stay focussed all the time.”
M o ro c c o
M o ro c c o
M a ro c
M o ro c c o
M o ro c c o
M a ro c
Ouarzazate
Guelmim
Guelmim
A l g e ri e n
A l g e ri a
A l g éri e
Algerien
Algeria
Algérie
Smara
100 km
62
Mau r eta ni e n
Mau r ita ni a
Mau r ita n i e
100 km
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
63
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 7 · Friday, 11 January 2008
Smara (Morocco) – Atâr (Mauritania) 1st Marathon stage, part 1
Atâr (Mauritania) – Nouakchott (Mauritania)
1st Marathon stage, part 2
Total: 829 km
Total: 531 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Atâr is one of the largest settlements in North Mauritania. Heavy rainfall and floods in the
In 1958 still a small fishing village, the settlement experienced tremendous growth and was
early 1990s destroyed the traditional architecture of the city founded in the 17th century. Atâr,
named Mauritania’s capital city after the French Colonies in West Africa were declared inde-
formerly a transit station for caravans on the Trans Sahara route, is today a market centre for
pendent. The French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry often lived in Nouakchott on his travels.
the Nomads in the surrounding region.
The city is situated between the geographical extremes of the Atlantic and Sahara.
Volkswagen works driver Mark Miller
“We cross the border into Mauritania on the rally’s longest stage. The route is very fast at the
“For me, this is the first of three successive make-or-break stages. With its soft dunes, plenty of
start. Furthermore, the navigation is very difficult on the extremely flat and featureless desert.
sand and camel grass it’s very challenging from the driving point of view. This region between
We expect to encounter camel grass, dune ranges and plenty of sand later on. It’ll be really
Atâr and Nouakchott is very thinly populated. We come across unspoilt desert without tracks
hot here for the first time after the cool temperatures in Morocco.”
which makes the navigation extremely difficult.”
Smara
Atâr
Maur e ta n i e n
Mau r i ta n i a
Maur i ta n i e
Nouakchott
M au r e tani e n
M au r i tani a
M au r i tani e
Atâr
100 km
64
100 km
65
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Rest day · Sunday, 13 January 2008
Leg 9 · Monday, 14 January 2008
Nouakchott (Mauritania)
Nouakchott (Mauritania) – Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Total: 0 km
Total: 648 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Nouakchott is visited by drivers, team members and visiting journalists and guests alike on the
Nouadhibou, the former Port-Etienne, is the northern most town on Mauretania’s coastline
rest day and is therefore one of the few towns in Africa that the rally participants actually get
and the country’s second largest city. Its economical importance is based on the port the
to see. From having almost 20,000 inhabitants at the end of the 1960s the population multi-
maritime commerce, the fishing industry and the role as trading centre for iron ore, which is
plied to several hundred thousand within a decade.
transported in trains up to 2.5 kilometre in length.
Volkswagen works driver Dieter Depping
“The team rest day is certainly a misleading description for this rally day on which no stage is
“This is second key stage of the 2008 Dakar Rally. Based on our experience the stage is
driven. After eight days of competition our technicians use the time to check our Volkswagen
usually very hard after the rest day. This route, 80 per cent of which is sand, was last driven
Race Touareg from top-to-bottom and to prepare for the second half of the rally. The drivers
in 1994, but in the opposite direction then. At first we cross a high dune range and then drive
try to catch up on sleep before meeting journalists and guests later.”
parallel to the sea all the way to Nouadhibou.”
Nouâdhibou
Nouakchott
100 km
66
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
Nouakchott
M au r e ta n ie n
M au r i ta ni a
M au r i ta ni e
100 km
67
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 10 · Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Leg 11 · Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Nouadhibou (Mauritania) – Atâr (Mauritania)
Atâr (Mauritania) – Tidjikja (Mauritania)
Total: 685 km
Total: 692 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Atâr is the capital of the Adrar region in Mauritania and was established by a Chinguetti
Tidjikja was founded in 1680 by the Idoualis and developed to become a trade hub and
tribe in the 17th century. The town has an airport, a museum and a historical mosque. Tourists
religious centre. Today it is the capital of the Tagant region in Mauretania. Thanks to its many
use Atâr as base from which they visit the historical Moorish cities of Chinguetti and Ouad-
palms the settlement expanded rapidly and attracted caravans. Today the town consists of
ane.
two halves which are separated by the Tidjikja Wadi.
Volkswagen works co-driver Timo Gottschalk
“This is a historic ‘Dakar’ stage. Drama after drama took place on this stage in 1994 when the
“We expect a stage with many off-road sections and many rocks. The danger of having a tyre
majority of the participants got bogged down in a dune mountain range and were disquali-
failure is even greater than on the previous days. This stage will be particularly demanding
fied. Presumably this will also be an extraordinary stage in 2008. After the high dune moun-
for the co-driver. This day is also the first-half of the marathon stage, which means that there
tain range we drive for a long time parallel to the tracks of the long iron ore trains.”
is no help allowed at the stage finish.”
Nouâdhibou
Atâr
Atâr
Tidjikja
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
100 km
68
2nd Marathon stage, part 1
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
100 km
69
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 12 · Thursday, 17 January 2008
Tidjikja (Mauritania) – Kiffa (Mauritania)
Leg 13 · Friday, 18 January 2008
2nd Marathon stage, part 2
Kiffa (Mauritania) – Kiffa (Mauritania)
Total: 531 km
Total: 515 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
Kiffa is the provincial capital of the Assaba region in Mauritania. It is situated in the middle
Kiffa enjoys a worldwide reputation in the bead business. Close to Kiffa in the Kumbi Saleh
of the desert and is influenced by the Sahel climate with temperatures ranging from around
ruins, which was supposedly the capital of the ancient Ghana Empire from 750 to 1240, glass
20 to well over 40 degrees Celsius and low levels of precipitation. Tourists can also reach the
beads can still be found today. The term “Kiffa Bead” has meant polychrome powdered glass
town as it boasts an airport.
bead in the jewellery sector for many years.
Volkswagen works driver Giniel de Villiers
Volkswagen works driver Carlos Sainz
“The stage from Tidjikja to Kiffa is presumably new for every competitor. A relatively lush
“On the loop around the bivouac in Kiffa – the service crew has no travel stress on this
landscape full of scrubland, palms and shrubs and the first small villages probably awaits
day – a varied, yet for the majority of the drivers a still unknown track with a mix of off-road
us. It’ll be another challenging day for the co-drivers since track is difficult to pick out in the
sections, sand and narrow tracks through the vegetation awaits us. We cross the well-known
scrubland from the cockpit.”
Néga Pass and pass the enormous Elephant Rocks.”
Mau r eta n ie n
Mau r ita n ia
Mau r ita n ie
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
Tidjikja
Kiffa
100 km
70
Kiffa
100 km
71
Stage by Stage
Stage by Stage
Leg 15 · Sunday, 20 January 2008
Kiffa (Mauritania) – St. Louis (Senegal)
St. Louis (Senegal) – Dakar (Senegal)
Total: 757 km
Total: 304 km
Creed and country
Creed and country
In 1659 St. Louis became the first French settlement in Africa and was West African capital
The Lac Rose, the traditional finish of the “Dakar”, is a salt lake 30 kilometers northeast of the
till 1902. The city is comprised of three parts, including an island. St. Louis is regarded as the
Senegalese capital Dakar. Lac Rose received its name because of its unique natural pink colour
“Venice of Africa” and has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since the year 2000.
caused by high mineral concentrations and the presence micro-organisms. UNESCO awarded
There is a bird sanctuary and hatchery for cormorants and flamingos a little further north.
the lake World Cultural Heritage status. The lake is separated from the sea by a sand dune.
Volkswagen works co-driver Ralph Pitchford
Volkswagen works driver Mark Miller
“The final long stage of the Dakar Rally, but you shouldn’t relax beforehand because on the
“The Dakar Rally’s famous final stage. The last 23 kilometres on the white beach on the shores
301 kilometres from Kiffa to St. Louis a great deal can still happen. Up to 90 per cent of the
of Lac Rose and the finish in Dakar are the most exhilarating moments of the rally. To reach
track runs along narrow, sandy tracks. It is easy for a co-driver to make a mistake here. Also,
the finish after driving for two weeks is simply a fantastic feeling. Family and friends wait for
this stage is completely new for the majority of the competitors.”
us at Lac Rose.”
Mau r e ta n i e n
Mau r i ta n i a
Mau r i ta n i e
M au r e ta n i e n
M au r i ta n i a
M au r i ta n i e
Kiffa
St. Louis
St. Louis
S en eg a l
S en eg a l
S én ég a l
100 km
72
Mali
Mali
Mali
Dakar
Senegal
Senegal
Sénégal
M ali
M ali
M ali
100 km
73
Competitors in the car category (Status: November 2007)
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322 323 324 325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
74
Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F)
Carlos Sainz/Michel Perin (E/F)
Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F)
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D)
Nani Roma/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E)
Nasser Al Attiyah/Tina Thörner (QT/S)
Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/RSA)
Hiroshi Masuoka/Pascal Maimon (J/F)
Guerlain Chicherit/Matthieu Baumel (F/F)
Jean-Louis Schlesser/Arnaud Debron (F/F)
Robby Gordon/Andy Grider (USA/USA)
Christian Lavieille/François Borsotto (F/F)
Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (P/D)
Bruno Saby/Alain Guehennec (F/F)
Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D)
Paulo Nobre/Filipe Palmeiro (BR/P)
Stéphane Henrard/Serge Bruynkens (B/B)
Jose Luis Monterde/Jean-Marie Lurquin (E/B)
Miguel Barbosa/Miguel Ramalho (P/P)
Eric Vigouroux/Alexandre Winocq (F/F)
Krzysztof Holowczyc/Jean-Marc Fortin (PL/B)
Dominique Housieaux/Jean-Michel Polato (F/F)
Bernard Errandonea/Jean-Pierre Garcin (F/F)
Yvan Muller/N.N. (F)
Ivar Erik Tollefsen/Quinton Evans (N/GB)
Tiago Monteiro/N.N. (P)
Philippe Gache/N.N. (F)
Balazs Szalay/Laszlo Bunkoczi (H/H)
Mark Corbett/François Jordaan (RSA/RSA)
Ronn Bailey/Kevin Heath (USA/USA)
Matthias Kahle/Thomas Schünemann (D/D)
Michael Petersen/Matthew Stevenson (USA/GB)
Darren Skilton/Kent Kroeker/Robin Stover (USA/USA/USA)
Lukasz Komornicki/Rafal Marton (PL/PL)
Isabelle Patissier/Thierry Delli-Zotti (F/F)
Ellen Lohr/Antonia de Roissard (D/F)
Janis Azis/Ainars Princis (LV/LV)
Raphael Sperrer/Harmen Scholtalbers (A/NL)
Leonid Novitskiy/Oleg Tyupenkin (RUS/RUS)
Ruslan Misikov/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS)
Dario de Lorenzo/Aldo de Lorenzo (I/I)
Michel de Groot/Erik van Loon (NL/NL)
Philippe de Korsac/N.N. (F)
Sandor Kis/Peter Czegledi (H/H)
Laszlo Palik/Gabor Darazsi (H/H)
Thierry Charbonnier/Abdou Thiam (F/SN)
Toni Manresa/Marco Ferran (E/I)
Nicolas Gibon/Antoine Gibon (F/F)
Patrick Sireyjol/Paul Vidal (F/F)
Jacky Loomans/Joel Smets (B/B)
Mitsubishi
Volkswagen
Mitsubishi
Volkswagen
Mitsubishi
BMW
Volkswagen
Mitsubishi
BMW
Buggy
Hummer
Nissan
Volkswagen
BMW
Volkswagen
BMW
Buggy-VW
Buggy
BMW
Chevrolet
Nissan
Buggy
Buggy
Buggy
Nissan
Buggy
Buggy
Opel
Nissan
Hummer
Honda
Buggy
Buggy
Buggy
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Buggy
Honda
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Isuzu
Buggy-VW
Buggy
Nissan
Nissan
Bowler
Isuzu
Bowler
Bowler
Bowler
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
Kenjiro Shinozuka/Jean-Paul Forthomme (J/B)
Toni Van Deijne/Wouter Rosegaar (NL/NL)
Maris Saukans/Didzis Zarins (LV/LV)
Pascal Feryn/Christophe Guille (B/B)
Koen Wauters/Dimitri Dejonghe (B/B)
Aurelijus Petraitis/Almontas Kybartas (LT/LT)
Alexey Berkut/Anton Nikolaev (RUS/RUS)
Boris Bukatov/Sergey Dodonov (RUS/RUS)
Andris Feldmanis/Krists Feldmanis (LV/LV)
Tino Schmidt/Philipp Tiefenbach (D/D)
Morgan Picard/Denis Schurger (F/F)
Bin Liu/Thierry Pacquelet (CHN/F)
Ricardo Leal Dos Santos/N.N. (P)
Janis Naglis/Agris Petersons (LV/LV)
Michel Turon-Barrere/Jean Marc Monbeig (F/F)
Maurizio Traglio/Marc Bartholome (I/B)
Mana Pornsiriched/Thierry Lacambre (THA/F)
Andrey Ivanov/Alexey Kuzmitch (RUS/RUS)
Javier Arenas/Carlos Reig (E/E)
Yves Fromont/François Fromont (F/F)
Tim Coronel/Gaby Uljee (NL/NL)
Chris Leyds/Chris Zegers (NL/NL)
Stephan Schott/Holm Schmidt (D/D)
Manuel Plaza Perez/Marcos de Quinto Romero (E/E)
Jun Mitsuhashi/Akira Miura (J/J)
Jean-Jacques Ratet/Bruno Cattarelli (F/F)
Jean-Pierre Strugo/Yves Ferri (F/F)
Ronan Chabot/Gilles Pillot (F/F)
Ukyo Katayama/Masahiro Terada (J/J)
Xavier Foj/Joan Pujolar (E/E)
Joaquim Adelio Machado/Laurent Flament (P/F)
Carlo de Gavardo/Jean Brucy (RCH/F)
José Manuel Salinero/Montserrat Ruiz Alvarez (E/E)
Jose Manuel Galan Perez/Jesus Machin Duque (E/E)
Francisco Inocencio/Paulo Fiuza (P/P)
Rick Aarts/Roland Rijpma (NL/NL)
Alfonso Nicolas Diaz/Fernando Puebla Gil (E/E)
Miroslav Zapletal/Miloslav Janacek (CZ/CZ)
Petr Prochazka/Vladimir Nemajer (CZ/CZ)
Patrick Martin/Jean Metz (F/F)
Vanina Ickx/Syndiely Wade (B/SN)
Christian Barbier/Odile Barbier (F/F)
Etienne Smulevici/Gilles Tixador (F/F)
Yaroslav Soloviev/Vladimr Korolev (RUS/RUS)
Andrey Dmitriev/Vladimir Demyanenko (RUS/RUS)
Lino Carapeta/Ricardo Corticadas (P/P)
Alain Leplat/Pascal Ferrand (B/F)
Aidyn Rakhimbayev/Bauyrzhan Issabayev (KZ/KZ)
Eric Bernard/Jean Noel Cornuaille (F/F)
Miguel Jonchere/Bruno Seillet (F/F)
Paulo Marques/Jose Janela (P/P)
Lang Xu/Fabian Lurquin (CHN/F)
Roeland Voerman/Thomas Debois (NL/NL)
Pedro Grancha/Vitor Jesus (P/P)
Nissan
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Toyota
Toyota
Buggy
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Mitsubishi
Subaru
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Nissan
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Bowler
Bowler
Bowler
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Toyota
Toyota
Nissan
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Chevrolet
Nissan
Nissan
Mitsubishi
Bowler
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Bowler
N.N.
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Buggy
Buggy
Bowler
Bowler
Mitsubishi
BMW
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Bowler
Nissan
75
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
76
Qingxian Hua/Chuannan Tian (CHN/CHN)
Mike van Eikeren/Bastian Herweijer (NL/NL)
Jose Nicolas Gonzalez/Naki Bosch (E/E)
Vadym Nesterchuk/N.N. (UA)
Laurent Bourgnon/Guy Leneveu (F/F)
Nuno Pedro Inocencio/Jaime Alexandre Guerra (P/P)
Aldis Vilcans/Arturs Masteiko (LV/LV)
Philippe Boutron/Jean-Luc Martin (F/F)
Arnaud Dubrisay/Dominique Gibon (F/F)
Antonio Balao/Nuno Maria Barreiros (P/P)
Jose Miguel de Fulgencio Font/Francesco Codina (E/E)
Raoul Jacobs/Jean Pierre Jacobs (NL/NL)
Carole Montillet/Melanie Suchet (F/F)
Patrice Combe/Bruno Davoust (F/F)
Gabriel Nicolae/Tudor Stanciu (RO/RO)
Antonio Manfrinato/Mano Buona (I/I)
Nuria Orriols/Montse Orriols (E/E)
Gerard Dubuy/Jehan Godefroy de France (F/F) Ricardo Vela/Mario Puerto (E/E)
Michele de Nora/Maurizio Dominella (I/I)
Helder Simao Ribeiro de Oliveira/Francisco Esperto (P/P)
Francisco Pita/Humberto Goncalves (P/P)
Artur Ardavichus/Denis Berezovskiy (KZ/KZ)
Pavel Loginov/N.N. (RUS)
Dmitry Palvov/Sergey Bosko (RUS/RO)
Gerard Schermesser/Brice Schermesser (F/F)
Yerkiv Tatishev/Antanas Juknevicius (KZ/LT)
Florence Migraine-Bourgnon/Ludivine Marchand-Aune (F/F) „Fantome 1 Jules“
Yong Zhou/Sylvain Poncet (CHN/F)
Carlos Oliveira/Jose Madaleno (ANG/ANG)
Alain Brousse/N.N. (F)
Jean Noel Julien/Anthony Dolley (F/F)
Michel Visy/Philippe Bourquin (F/F)
Salvador Avila/Jose Luis Conde Donaire (E/E)
Philippe Gosselin/Serge Serreau (F/F)
Richard Haywood/Alex Cole (GB/GB)
Evert Kroon/Gerard Rond (NL/NL)
Maria do ceu Cupertino Pires Lima/Jose Mendonca (P/P)
Paul Green/Mark Eland (GB/AUS)
Zhussup Ayapov/Sergey Kravchinskiy (KZ/KZ)
Jerome Bonfils/Pierre-Paul Chanoine (F/F)
Denis Hugounenq/Thierry Coste (F/F)
Laurent Charbonnel/Christian Boulet (F/F)
Eric Radet/David Gerard (F/F)
Paul Mitson/Nick Baatz (GB/GB)
Franciosi Joao Antonio/Lourival Roldan (BR/BR)
Joris Mattijs/Jan de Witte (B/B)
Ian Rochelle/Chris Hammond (GB/GB)
Marcel Schoo/Henk Booij (NL/NL)
Ferran Font/Mique Amblas Madriguera (AND/E)
Josep Roca/Gerard Vidal Farras (AND/AND)
Jaime Aregall/Josefina Roman (E/E)
Eduardo Roberto Blanco/Eduardo Maximil Blanco (RA/RA)
Nissan
Toyota
Toyota
Mitsubishi
Buggy
Mitsubishi
Toyota
Bowler
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Toyota
Desert Warrior
Nissan
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Land-Rover
Nissan
Toyota
Toyota
Nissan
Nissan
Nissan
Toyota
Nissan
Toyota
Nissan
Nissan
Nissan
Toyota
Renault
Bowler
Tot Curses
Nissan
Bowler
Desert Warrior
Toyota
Desert Warrior
Nissan
Desert Warrior
Desert Warrior
Toyota
Desert Warrior
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Desert Warrior
Desert Warrior
Desert Warrior
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
512
513
Joost van Cauwenberge/Marc Devos (B/B)
Jose Maria Garrofe/Julio Garcia Lozano (E/E)
Laszlo Liszi/Jozsef Fenesi (H/H)
Michael Jones/Susan Jones (GB/GB)
Cornelis Tijsterman/Eric Steenhuisen (NL/NL)
Philippe Bernat-Salles/Gilles Lafeuillade (F/F)
Izhar Armony/Nadav Armoni (IL/IL)
Juan Carlos Santamaria/Mario Ausin (E/E)
Jean Marc Despujols/Joel Clevenot (F/F)
Turki Mohafd Al Sudairy/Samir Benbekhti (KSA/F)
Joan Rodriguez Simon/Jordi Llinas Gavilan (E/E)
Glen Edmunds/Des Page Morris (GB/EAK)
Eugen Banciu/Marius Vasai (RO/RO)
Gintas Petrus/Milda Petrus (LT/LT)
Jose Pereira/Rui Nuno Fernandes Gil (P/P)
Rodrigo Amaral/Duarte Amaral (P/P)
Dror Cohen/Sela Har Sion/Yishay Gamla (IL/IL)
Phillipe Gallois/Lionel Boch (F/F)
Juan Franc Lardon Olmeda/Antonio Moreno Sanchez (E/E)
Gregory Macleod/Olivier Ford (GB/GB)
Alejandro Roque/Moises Munoz (E/E)
Carlos Rentero Cano/Jose Manue Vasco Cuesta (E/E)
Jacky Bourgin/Gerard Ancement (F/F)
Jacques Maurin/Claude Veyron (F/F)
Mark Dutton/Troels Henriksen (GB/DK)
Jean Paul Reparat/Jean-Marc Fierain (F/F)
Philippe Raud/Guy Lefebvre (F/F)
Jean Louis Juchault/Xavier Rolet (F/F)
Nuno Pereira da Silva/Ricardo Melo (P/P)
Christophe Girard/N.N. (F)
Dimitri Messiaen/Vincent Messiaen (B/B)
Luc Dewinter/Werner Nees (B/B)
Jean Marie Davoy/Marc Jourdan (F/F)
Regis Delahaye/Pascal Gambillon (F/F)
Jerome Pelichet/Eugenie Decre (F/CH)
Fidel Azofra/Fernando Arregui (E/E)
Petrus C. van Kruijsdijk/Cees Bohnenn (NL/NL)
Albert Gryszczuk/Michal Krawczyk (PL/PL)
Robert Gorecki/Ernest Gorecki (PL/PL)
Philippe Lecomte/Jerome Hardy (F/F)
Sergio Williams/Laurent Tarnaud (BR/F)
Jean-Philippe Theuriot/Patrick Prot (F/F)
Jose Lopez Rivas/Joaquim Llorca Lis (E/E)
Arunas Lekavicius/Ramunas Kruckauskas (LT/LT)
Jose Manu Villar Alarcon/Francisco Lopez Garcia (E/E)
Antonio Vico Cordoba/Rosendo Tourinan Morist (E/E)
Serge Floris/Pierrick Legendre (F/F)
Jean-Philippe Alpa/Jose Antonio Lopes (F/P)
Kamil Rahal/Patrick Ablassit (SN/SN)
Siarhei Shkel/Konstanti Meshcheryakov (BY/RUS)
Dave Bharat/Jesus Tello (IND/E)
Rudy Goeminne/Dirk Vervaet (B/B)
Juan Miguel Fidel/Ventana Javier (E/E)
Saida Ibrahimi/Abdelouahad Ettoubaji (MA/MA)
Bowler
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Muddy Fox
Desert Warrior
Bowler
Desert Warrior
Toyota
Toyota
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Desert Warrior
Desert Warrior
Desert Warrior
Bowler
Bowler
Chevrolet
Buggy-VW
BMW
Bowler
Toyota
Desert Warrior
Nissan
Toyota
BMW
Buggy
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Nissan
Nissan
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Bowler
Land-Rover
Land-Rover
Mitsubishi
Troller
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
Bowler
Bowler
Nissan
Buggy
Nissan
Bowler
Mitsubishi
Buggy-VW
Tot Curses
Mitsubishi
77
2008 Dakar Rally Regulations
The rules of a cross country classic
2008 Dakar Rally Regulations
cars: Prototypes like the Race Touareg, the Mitsubishi
Evo, the BMW X3 and also the Buggies of Jean-Louis
A large variety of vehicles fitted with different engines
Schlesser and Robby Gordon can only be equipped
and drivetrain concepts meet one another at the
with a five-speed gearbox, six gears were previously
“Dakar”. The groups are separated into T1 (prototypes
allowed. The new regulations also stipulate that their
like the Race Touareg 2, the competition from Mit-
induction-air restrictor must be one millimetre less
subishi and BMW and the Buggies), T2 (production
than cars of comparable categories.
based cars), T4 (commercial vehicles from 3.5 tonnes)
and US (SCORE regulations and all-wheel drive over
Mechanics can only help in the bivouac
2.8 tonnes and less than 2.20 metres wide). The basic
An important competition element of the Dakar Rally
weight of two and four-wheel drive cars in the T1 class
is complying with the service regulations: During the
is assigned subject to the sixteen engine capacity
stages and the entire duration of the two-day mara-
divisions from under 1.6 to over 5.25 litres. The Race
thon stage outside assistance is prohibited – with the
Touareg 2 with its 2.5 litre TDI engine has a minimum
exception of the help from other rally competitors
weight of 1,787.5 kg. A two-wheel drive Buggy from
and including the occupants of Race Trucks. As a rule,
the same cubic capacity class can weigh 597 kg less.
vehicles can only be serviced in the bivouac. GSM
Both diesel and spark-ignition engines are permitted.
and satellite telephones can only be installed in rally
To compare: The minimum weight of the Mitsubishi
vehicles for emergency purposes, and must, however,
Pajero Evo with a four-litre normally aspirated engine
not be switched when the vehicle is running.
is 1,825 kg, the BMW X3 with its three-litre diesel
power plant must weigh 1,900 kg. The diameter of the
Speed limit in the desert
tyres is limited to 810 mm (four-wheel drive) and 940
The Race-Trucks are limited to a maximum speed
mm (two-wheel drive). The maximum spring travel for
of 150 kph, subject to local restrictions service cars
four-wheel drive vehicles with independent suspen-
can travel at the following speeds 90 (Senegal), 100
sion is restricted to 250 mm. Two-wheel drive cars are
(Morocco) or 110 kph (Mauritania), and service trucks
allowed unlimited spring travel.
a maximum 90 kph. With no restrictions the racing
cars reach over 190 kph. A maximum speed limit of 30
78
Changes to the 2008 Dakar Rally regulations
kph or 50 kph is stipulated in populated areas and is
For the 2008 “Dakar” the technical regulations were
permanently monitored by GPS. Heavy penalties are
changed to reduce the maximum speed of the top
incurred if the limits are exceeded.
79
Glossary
The Cross Country Rallying ABC
Glossary
the event of an emergency via onboard satellite
telephone.
Bivouac A camp set-up and run by the organisers at
the end of every stage, in which the teams erect their
Marathon stage Runs over two days and forbids the
service facilities, a medical team is present, dormito-
accompanying armada of vehicles to give service as-
ries are available and where a buffet for every par-
sistance; only the competing Race-Trucks can offer help.
ticipant is prepared.
Off road An English description used for rough terCamel grass sections Routes inundated with tangled
rain encountered away from all tracks or paths.
sand and camel grass mounds. The mounds are so
stable due to the entwined grass that they can dam-
Parc fermé An enclosed area, in which vehicles must
age the suspension if driven over too quickly.
be parked during the event at predetermined times,
and where repairs, refuelling or tyre changes are
Control point A control point (CP) is a place on a
strictly forbidden.
stage, defined by the organisers, at which a drivethrough check point is set-up. The vehicles must pass
PC Course The Dakar Rally management. The main
several control-points during each stage and receive
rally management is located in Paris, a PC Course of-
a stamp in the road book as proof. A time-penalty is
fice is set up every day en-route in the bivouac.
awarded if a competitor misses a control point.
Road-book The road-book, which is distributed each
GPS Global Positioning System. A satellite supported
evening to the teams for the following day’s naviga-
system for navigation. The competitors rely solely on
tion, includes all route sketches, distances, dangerous
the road-book to select and locate the “hidden” GPS
points and special features along the route.
control points, the vehicle mounted GPS device confirms when the points are reached.
Sentinel Acoustic and visual warning system that
warns vehicles of faster vehicles closing from behind
Iritrack System Satellite supported system for locat-
and makes overtaking easier.
ing vehicles, with which the stewards can determine
80
the position and speed of a rally vehicle at any time.
Service route A pre-determined route from Lisbon
The competitors may only contact the stewards in
to Dakar that the accompanying armada of vehicles
81
Glossary
must follow. The service route normally runs parallel to
Dakar Rally History
Anniversary in sand
the rally route used by the competition vehicles.
The 30th running of the Dakar Rally approaches in
Speed zone Speed limit in villages which is also valid
2008. It is the anniversary of a unique challenge:
for rally vehicles on the stage. Speed zones are indi-
What Thierry Sabine created above all for private
cated by signs and marked in the road-book.
adventurers in predominantly production based
vehicles has developed into a unique motorsport disci-
Stage A stage is defined as a section of the rally
pline. The erstwhile adventure has become a hard-
consisting of an un-timed connecting route (Liaison)
fought competition in which highly professional teams
and the trial to be completed against the clock. The
fight for victory at the head of the field.
2008 Dakar Rally consists of 15 stages.
The rally of superlatives
Technical Scrutineering Inspection of the competition
As 182 starters set off on the 10,000 kilometre route
and accompanying vehicles by technical scrutineers
from France via Algeria, Niger, Mali and the former
to ensure that all vehicles confirm with the technical
Upper Volta to the Senegal in the winter of 1978/1979
regulations.
accompanied by 20 journalists who covered the
event, it was hard to imagine just what dimensions the
Tuareg The name of a Berber tribe of approximately
rally would eventually assume. More than 13,000 men
one million nomads, the majority of whom live in the
and women have participated in the cross country
Sahel-zone. Volkswagen named its premium class off-
rally event since then, today more than 550 journal-
road vehicle after these people.
ists representing 300 media report on the rally at the
start in Lisbon and at the finish in Dakar. Approxi-
Tripmaster Cockpit mounted electronic measure-
mately 160 journalists accompany the entire two-week
ment device to measure individual trip and overall
event. A thirty-minute TV programme is produced
distances.
every evening directly in the bivouac by the organisers ASO and made available for satellite transmission
82
Way points Points along the route defined by the
and which is broadcast throughout the world by 75
organiser using degrees of longitude and latitude
television stations. A total of 580 hours of television
that are entered in the participants GPS system, which
reports are broadcast in 185 countries around the
must be passed by the vehicles.
globe. In Europe alone more than 150 million viewers
83
Dakar Rally History
are reached – like the event itself the media interest
Dakar Rally Winners
Dakar Rally Winners – 1979 to 2007
has also developed enormously.
Year Team
Route
1979 Joseph Terbiaut/Jean Lemordant/Genestier (F/F/F) Range Rover
Paris – Algier – Dakar
The size of the event, which ran through 21 African
1980 Freddy Kottulinsky/Gerd Löffelmann (S/D)
Volkswagen Iltis
1 981 René Metge/Bernard Giroux (F/F)
Range Rover
1982 Claude Marreau/Bernard Marreau (F/F)
Renault 20
1983 Jacky Ickx/Claude Brasseur (B/F)
Mercedes 280 GE Paris – Algier – Dakar
vehicles for route inspection, doctors and TC crews,
1984 René Metge/Dominique Lemoyne (F/F)
Porsche 911 4x4
nine trucks with workshop and towing equipment
1985 Patrick Zaniroli/Jean da Silva (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
and 54 doctors. In addition there are eleven catering
1986 René Metge/Dominique Lemoyne (F/F)
Porsche 959
1987 Ari Vatanen/Bernard Giroux (FIN/F)
Peugeot 205 T16
1988 Juha Kankkunen/Juha Piironen (FIN/FIN)
Peugeot 205 T16
1989 Ari Vatanen/Bruno Berglund (FIN/S)
Peugeot 405 T16
Paris – Tunis – Dakar
regions benefit directly from this: Seventy per cent of
1990 Ari Vatanen/Bruno Berglund (FIN/S)
Peugeot 405 T16
Paris – Tripolis – Dakar
the food is bought locally.
1 991 Ari Vatanen/Bruno Berglund (FIN/S)
Citroën ZX
Paris – Tripolis – Dakar
1992 Hubert Auriol/Philippe Monnet (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Paris – Sirte – Cape Town
1993 Bruno Saby/Dominique Serieys (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Paris – Tanger – Dakar
1994 Pierre Lartigue/Michel Périn (F/F)
Citroën ZX
Paris – Dakar – Paris
Citroën ZX
Granada – Dakar
increasing number of celebrities come under its spell:
Citroën ZX
Granada – Dakar
Former Formula 1 drivers like Patrick Tambay, Jacques
1997 Kenjiro Shinozuka/Henri Magne (J/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Dakar – Agades – Dakar
1998 Jean-Pierre Fontenay/Gilles Picard (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Paris – Granada – Dakar
1999 Jean-Louis Schlesser/Philippe Monnet (F/F)
Schlesser-Renault
Granada – Dakar
2000 Jean-Louis Schlesser/Henri Magne (F/F)
Schlesser-Renault
Dakar – Cairo
Brasseur, singer Johnny Hallyday, footballer Jean-
2 001 Jutta Kleinschmidt/Andreas Schulz (D/D)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Paris – Dakar
Marie Pfaff or Astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien.
2002 Hiroshi Masuoka/Pascal Maimon (J/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Arras – Madrid – Dakar
2003 Hiroshi Masuoka/Andreas Schulz (J/D)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Marseille – Sharm el Sheikh
2004 Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Clermont-Ferrand – Dakar
Mitsubishi Pajero
Barcelona – Dakar
2006 Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F)
Mitsubishi Pajero
Lisbon – Dakar
Mitsubishi Pajero
Lisbon – Dakar
countries to date, requires a complex logistic. The
organisation has 20 aircraft, ten helicopters, and 28
trucks supported by an incredible 77 people. The rally
armada consumes 1.5 tonnes of food daily. The local
Dakar Rally as prominent platform
In addition to the acknowledged rally specialists, an
Laffite, Jacky Ickx or Philippe Alliot also took part
as did Princess Caroline of Monaco, actor Claude
84
Car
Complex logistic
85
Volkswagen “Dakar” History
From production car to prototype
Return with TDI technology
Volkswagen was subsequently active and successful in
When Volkswagen starts the anniversary edition of
many other disciplines – from the World Rally Cham-
the Dakar Rally in January 2008 the brand can lay
pionship to Formula 3. In 2003 the brand returned to
claim to a unique presence: Volkswagen is the only
the Dakar Rally and since the aim of the programme
automobile manufacturer to have experienced and
is to fight for overall victory with TDI Diesel Techno
shaped both the Dakar Rally’s beginnings and its new
logy.
era.
Buggy as test vehicle
Production line basis 1980
Even with the Buggy Tarek, which acted as test vehicle,
For the second running of the event, which was to a
the brand recorded a victory first time out: In 2003,
large extent still unknown, four Volkswagen rolled
the one-two finish in the class for two-wheel driven
from the start in January 1980. The four off-road
vehicles and sixth and eighth place overall for Jutta
vehicles were close to production-line specification
Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons and Stéphane Henrard/
and even the soft-top and doors from tent material
Bobby Willis proved that TDI Technology is competi-
were retained. Only equipment for long distances
tive.
off-road, navigation and safety and a few more
horsepower distinguished the rally from the standard
Race Touareg debut in 2004
model.
Volkswagen contests the Dakar Rally with the Race
Touareg since 2004. The success that the pure-
Race and rally driver Freddy Kottulinsky celebrated
blooded prototype has collected since then verifies
overall victory with the Audi mechanics and co-driver
Volkswagen’s logical development work: On its
Gerd Löffelmann after 10,000 kilometres. Second
debut the Race Touareg scored a stage victory with
went to his French team mates Patrick Zaniroli and
Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons, while Bruno Saby/
Philippe Colesse. The two other Iltis reached Dakar in
Matthew Stevenson reached the finish in sixth position.
fourth and ninth positions. The near 110 hp all terrain
vehicles from Germany overcame the significantly
Just one year later a further developed Race Touareg
more powerful V8 models and the first purpose built
succeeded in finishing on the podium: Jutta Klein-
specials.
schmidt/Fabrizia Pons arrived in Dakar in third place.
It was not only the first podium finish for the Race
86
87
Volkswagen “Dakar” Statistics
Volkswagen Race Touareg 2004 – 2007 “Dakar” highlights
Touareg in the marathon cross country classic, but
also the first podium for a diesel powered vehicle in
the rally’s history. Robby Gordon/Dirk von Zitzewitz
even held the overall lead at the start. Four stage
victories and four days as rally leader complemented
the four-wheel drive vehicle’s interim summary.
Podium results
Stage wins
Days leading
Total
2
20
17
2004
-
1
-
Thörner represented the best “Dakar” result for the
Race Touareg and, as a result, also for diesel power.
The latest evolution of the prototype – the Race
Touareg 2 – scored five stage victories and held
the rally lead for five days thanks in part to the new
turbo-charging of the TDI power unit.
Ten stage victories and eight days in the lead
The team improved its tally of stage wins yet again
twelve months later: A Volkswagen Race Touareg led
the Dakar Rally for the first eight days, and with ten
stage victories throughout the 15 day event Volkswagen was the brand to beat. As winner of the Diesel
classification, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford reached
the finish in fourth place in the best Race Touareg 2 –
the strong individual performance go unrewarded in
the final result.
88
2006
1
5
5
2007
10
8
Overall results
P Driver/Co-driver (Nation/Nation)
P Driver/Co-driver (Nation/Nation)
Dakar Rally 2004, 1 – 18 January 2004
6 Bruno Saby/Matthew Stevenson (F/GB)
21 Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I)
Dakar Rally 2006, 31 December 2005 – 15 January 2006
2 Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner (RSA/S)
5 Mark Miller/Dirk von Zitzewitz (USA/D)
8 Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F)
11 Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
January 2006 saw Volkswagen post a further personal best: Second overall for Giniel de Villiers/Tina
2005
1
4
4
Dakar Rally 2005, 31 December 2004 – 16 January 2005
3 Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I)
5 Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F)
12 Robby Gordon/Dirk von Zitzewitz (USA/D)
Dakar Rally 2007, 6 – 21 January 2007
4 Mark Miller/Ralph Pichford (USA/RSA)
7 Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (P/D)
9 Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F)
11 Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D)
Stage wins
Days leading
Driver/Co-driver (Nation/Nation)
Stage
Stage wins 2004
Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I)
Stage 16 Stage wins 2005
Robby Gordon/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (USA/D) Stage 1 Robby Gordon/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (USA/D) Stage 4 Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I)
Stage 11 Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F)
Stage 16 Stage wins 2006
Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D) Stage 1 Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
Stage 2 Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
Stage 4 Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
Stage 10 Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner (RSA/S) Stage 11 Stage wins 2007
Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (P/D) Stage 1 Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F)
Stage 2
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (RSA/D) Stage 3
Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F)
Stage 5
Stage 12
Stage 13
Stage 14
Date
17.01.2004
31.12.2004
03.01.2005
11.01.2005
16.01.2005
31.12.2005
01.01.2006
03.01.2006
10.01.2006
11.01.2006
06.01.2007
07.01.2007
08.01.2007
10.01.2007
12.01.2007
14.01.2007
18.01.2007
19.01.2007
20.01.2007
21.01.2007
Driver/Co-driver (Nation/Nation)
Leg
Date
Days leading 2005
Robby Gordon/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (USA/D) Leg 1 Robby Gordon/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (USA/D) Leg 2/ Liaison
Robby Gordon/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (USA/D) Leg 4 Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F)
Leg 6 03.01.2005
05.01.2005
Days leading 2006
Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
Leg 1 Carlos Sainz/Andreas Schulz (E/D)
Leg 5 Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner (RSA/S) Leg 6 31.12.2005
01.01.2006
03.01.2006
04.01.2006
05.01.2006
Days leading 2007
Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (P/D) Leg 1 Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (P/D) Leg 2 Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F)
Leg 3
Leg 4
Leg 5
Leg 6
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (RSA/D) Leg 7
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk v. Zitzewitz (RSA/D) Leg 8
06.01.2007
07.01.2007
08.01.2007
09.01.2007
10.01.2007
11.01.2007
12.01.2007
13.01.2007
31.12.2004
01.01.2005
89
Volkswagen Motorsport History
Four decades of motorsport tradition
ues this tradition from 2008. In comparison with other
manufacturers Volkswagen also set the pace on the
In a motorsport history spanning more than 40 years
formula stage: Between 1979 and 1994 Volkswagen
Volkswagen has set the benchmark in three specific
won 55 international titles as engine manufacturer, in-
areas: In touring car racing, formula racing and in
cluding seven in Germany – with the likes of Michael
rallying the brand from Wolfsburg has celebrated
Schumacher, Tom Kristensen, Bernd Schneider, Kris
many victories in both popular one-make cups and in
Nissen and Joachim Winkelhock. The brand recorded
competition with other manufacturers throughout the
92 single race wins in Germany alone. Since Septem-
world and, in the process, inspired fans.
ber 2007 Volkswagen takes on the competition in the
Formula 3 Euro Series, which is now regarded as the
Roots in formula cars
best stepping-stone for young drivers into Formula 1.
The brand’s history in motorsport began in 1966 with
formula cars. Formula V – the “V” stood for Volkswa-
Success in rallying
gen – began its popular expansion throughout
While the first off-track excursions date back to the
Europe. With an initial 58 hp and the Beetle’s robust
1970s, Volkswagen has systematically supported
technology it provided young talents choosing a
young talent since 1980: For five years the Golf Rally
career in formula cars with an inexpensive start in a
Cup provided young drivers with great opportunities.
competitive racing environment. Several future For-
In this time Volkswagen even won the Group A title in
mula 1 World Champions such as Jochen Rindt, Keke
the 1986 World Rally Championship with the Golf and
Rosberg, Nelson Piquet and Niki Lauda emerged from
Kenneth Eriksson. Since the 1990s rally drivers could
Formula V. Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk and many
choose from customer sport’s broad range, which in-
successful sportscar drivers like John Nielsen, Jochen
cluded various Golf and Polo models – from produc-
Mass, Frank Jelinski and Walter Lechner learnt their
tion based Group N cars via Super 1600 models to Kit
trade in Formula V.
Cars and Diesel Kit Cars. In cross country rallying in
1980 the brand recorded its first big international win
Later one-make cups like “Formula König powered by
with victory at the Dakar Rally. This discipline is the
Volkswagen” and “Formula Volkswagen” followed this
central pillar of the factory programme since 2003.
trend and developed the one-make cup idea further
This time Volkswagen fights for overall victory with TDI
with the logical introduction of the now common chas-
power in the Race Touareg.
sis. “Formula ADAC powered by Volkswagen” contin-
90
91
Attractive one-make cups in touring car racing
Volkswagen played a formative role in the touring car
scene for a period extending over three decades. The
first one-make-cup the Scirocco Cup was initiated in
1976 and, with Manfred Winkelhock, even produced
a future Formula 1 driver. The Golf Cup and Polo
Cup followed from which numerous talents made the
break into higher profile championships.
Volkswagen has been particularly innovative in the
support of young talent for ten years: The ADAC
Volkswagen Polo Cup and its predecessor the Lupo
Cup offer motorsport newcomers the greatest performance parity at reasonable cost. The centrally
prepared cars which are constantly swapped between
competitors makes this possible. Volkswagen’s onemake cups enjoy increasing popularity in other countries like, for example, China, Denmark, Japan, South
Africa and England.
Volkswagen also has an enviable list of success in
long-distance touring car racing. The 24-hour race at
the Nürburgring, in which the brand finished second
in 1997 with a Gold TDI, is the base on which the
involvement was built and later continued with the
Volkswagen Motorsport Statistics
Top results
1980
1st
Dakar Rally
Freddy Kottulinsky/Gerd Löffelmann Volkswagen Iltis
1981
1st
German Rally Championship
Alfons Stock/Paul Schmuck
Volkswagen Golf GTI
1982
1st
German Formula 3 Championship John Nielsen
Ralt RT 3 Volkswagen
1984
1st
British Formula 3 Championship
Johnny Dumfries
1st
Formula 3 Grand Prix Macao
John Nielsen
1985
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Volker Weidler
Martini MK 45 Volkswagen
1st
Mauricio Gugelmin
1st
Mauricio Gugelmin
1986
1st
World Rally Championship, Group A Kenneth Eriksson/Peter Diekmann Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Kris Nissen
1st
Andy Wallace
Reynard 863 Volkswagen
1st
Andy Wallace
1st
Formula 3 Grand Prix Monaco
Yannick Dalmas
Martini MK 49 Volkswagen
1987
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Bernd Schneider
Dallara 387 Volkswagen
1st
Johnny Herbert
1st
Didier Arztet
1st
Ivory Coast Rally
Kenneth Eriksson/Peter Diekmann Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V
1st
ADAC Rally Deutschland
Jochi Kleint/Manfred Hiemer
Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V
factory entered Bora. The factory team recorded a
remarkable eighth place overall amongst the more
powerful GT cars and also class victory with the latest
generation Golf GTI at the 24-hour classic in the Eifel
in June 2007.
92
93
94
1988
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Joachim Winkelhock
1989
1st
David Brabham
1st
FIA Formula 3 World Cup Macao David Brabham
1990
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Michael Schumacher
1st
FIA Formula 3 World Cup Macao Michael Schumacher
1st
Laurent Aiello
1991
1st
German Formula 3 Championship Tom Kristensen
1st
Jörg Müller
1st
German Rally Championship
Erwin Weber/Manfred Hiemer
1996
1st
German Touring Car Challenge
Jürgen Hohenester
1997
1st
Jürgen Hohenester
1st
British Rally Championship
Manufacturer Championship
1st
Silver Cup Vallelunga 6 hours
Rinaldo Capello/Walter Santus
1999
1st
Jürgen Hohenester
2003
1st
Two-Wheel-Drive-Class Dakar Rally Stéphane Henrard/Bobby Willis
Volkswagen Tarek
2004
6th
Volkswagen Race Touareg
Dakar Rally
Bruno Saby/Michel Périn
Dallara 390 Volkswagen
Volkswagen Rallye-Golf
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Volkswagen Golf Kit Car
Volkswagen Golf TDI
Volkswagen Golf GTI
2005
3rd
Dakar Rally
Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons
1st
Por las Pampas Rally
1st
Moroccan Rally
1st
Rallye d’Orient
1st
Pharaos Rally Stéphane Henrard/Antonia de Roissard
1st
FIA Cross Country World Cup Bruno Saby/Michel Périn
1st
FIA Cross Country World Cup Team Volkswagen Motorsport
2006
2nd
Dakar Rally
Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner
2nd
Tunisian Rally
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz
1st
Transibérico Rally
1st
Moroccan Rally
2007
1st
Transibérico Rally
Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn
1st
Moroccan Rally
2nd
UAE Desert Challenge
Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn
1st
FIA Cross Country World Cup Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn
1st
FIA Cross Country World Cup Team Volkswagen Motorsport
1st
Nürburgring 24 hours (class SP3T) Rast/Johannsson/Gruber/Depping
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Buggy Volkswagen TDI
Statistics Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
Year
2004
2005
2006
2007
Total
Wins
-
3
2
2
7
Stage wins
7
16
18
20
61
Days leading
4
18
14
18
54
95
Media Service
Volkswagen Media Service
Media Contacts
Volkswagen Motorsport
Communications
www.volkswagen-motorsport.info – the
Ikarusallee 7a
Volkswagen Media Database provides:
D-30179 Hannover
• a daily information service highlighting the Dakar
Fon+49 511 674 94 888
Rally in English, German and French with comments
Fax +49 511 674 94 789
from every factory driver, Volkswagen Motorsport
Director Kris Nissen and news from the bivouac,
Uwe Baldes
short interviews and results
Mobile
+49 160 908 83 158
• Media Guide as PDF document to download
[email protected]
• High resolution pictures
www.volkswagen-motorsport.info
• Latest results
• Results service by SMS
Andre Dietzel
• On-demand function for TV footage incl. shot lists
Mobile
• Original audio files suitable for radio broadcast
[email protected]
+49 175 7234 689
• Complete test, rally and race reports
• Profiles of all Volkswagen factory drivers
Agnes Krüger
• Basics about the Volkswagen Motorsport Programme
Mobile
• Dispatch of press information and language (Ger-
[email protected]
+49 173 9181 967
man/English/French) as desired
Dakar Rally Organisation
Links
A.S.O. Service Presse
• www.volkswagen-motorsport.info provides access
2 rue rouget de Lisle
within the Volkswagen Group to the
Fon+33 1 41 33 14 80
• www.volkswagen-group-motorsport.info data-
Fax +33 1 41 33 15 39
base for motorsport activities of the Group’s brands
• www.volkswagen-motorsport.com public website
96
F-92130 Issy les Moulineaux
www.audi-motorsport.info Media Database
www.dakar.com
Emilie Poucan
with pictures, original sound bites, videos and
Mobile
Iritrack-System during the Dakar Rally
[email protected]
+33 6 78 01 51 31
97
< Media CD
98
Route
Media CD
2008 Dakar Rally 5 – 20 January 2008
Photo and audio
Lisboa
Spani e n
Spai n
05/01
Es pagne
06/01
Malaga
Portimão
Nador
M arok ko
M oroc c o
M aroc
Ouarzazate
Guelmim
10/01
07/01
Er Rachidia
08/01
09/01
Alge ri e n
Alge ri a
Algé ri e
Smara
11/01
M aurEtani e n
M auri tani a
M auri tani e
M ali
M ali
M ali
15/01
Atâr
Nouâdhibou
14/01
Nouakchott
13/01
St. Louis
Dakar
12/01
19/01
20/01
16/01
Tidjikja
17/01
18/01
Kiffa
Senegal
Senegal
Sénégal
The material can be used copyright free for press purposes only
100 km
99
100

Motorsport Information

Transcription

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