ACVWSA Dakar '09 thread - CONGRATS Giniel on FIRST place!

[Watercool]

Carlos aka El Matador. He is the man. One of my hero's in WRC Other is Michelle Mouton and Colin McRae (spell?)RIP

[Ron&Gill]

Carlos for sure. I like the Solberg brothers. I dig the way Petter drives with his tongue out. He's gonna lose it in a yump one day...

[Pine]

My apologies for not updating this thread, but I got a Trojan (the virus type, not the horse! ) on Thursday night, and had everthing formatted and cleaned. Only got the pc back this morning, so I will update this thread when time allows me...

[Pine]

Update Fri, January 2, 2009 15:18

“Dakar” start in Buenos Aires: Volkswagen drivers “ready to go”



Wolfsburg (2 January 2009). The Volkswagen team is ready for the Dakar Rally: Before the premiere of the cross country rally in South America the four powerful 280 hp Race Touaregs of Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) and Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) received the obligatory starting permission at technical scrutineering. After rolling across the start ramp during the official opening ceremony in the centre of Buenos Aires on Friday evening (2 January), the 9,758 kilometre long competition through Argentina and Chile starts on Saturday with the first stage to Santa Rosa de la Pampa.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
"We can now say that ‘the car’ is ready for ‘the race’. The preparation phase of almost an entire year is finally concluded with technical scrutineering in Buenos Aires. We developed the Race Touareg still further in the engine and suspension areas, have improved driver vision and, as a team, prepared as best as possible for maintenance and service work on the vehicles in the bivouacs with optimised procedures. When compared with last year the Race Touareg is once again quicker. We have strong opponents in the form of our competitors Mitsubishi, X-raid BMW and Robby Gordon in the Hummer. Our goal is to beat them and be the first manufacturer to win the ‘Dakar’ with Diesel Technology.”

#301 – Carlos Sainz (E)
"The tension is climbing by the minute before the start of the Dakar Rally. The atmosphere in Argentina and Chile is simply fantastic. In the last few days during the autograph sessions for example we have seen just how passionate and inspired the fans are for rallying. This is good for us drivers and in turn good for our sport. For this reason as well I’m really looking forward to rolling across the start ramp.”

#301 – Michel Périn (F), co-driver
"With the route that the organisers have chosen I’m convinced that we can expect the toughest ‘Dakar’ ever. The demands made of drivers and co-drivers are extremely high due to the permanently changing terrain. The premiere in South America will therefore be anything but easy. We’ll have to be on top of our game at all times and prepare for the physically demanding long stages.”

#305 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA)
"The Dakar Rally is anything but a one-man-show for the driver. The entire team must perform absolutely perfectly and must show no weaknesses – engineers, mechanics, drivers and co-drivers. I can promise that my co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz and I will do everything within our powers to improve on the ‘Dakar’ result from 2006 when I was second. For this we also need Lady Luck to be smiling on us.”

#305 – Dirk von Zitzewitz (D), co-driver
"The preparations for the ‘Dakar’ beforehand asked a lot of us. Studying maps intensively was on the agenda for me in particular, because I have never contested a rally here in Argentina or Chile. The picture that I have formed from all these bits of information means that we can expect many highlights. The terrain will be very varied. I can hardly wait for it to finally get going.”

#307 – Dieter Depping (D)
"The first few days at the start in Buenos Aires have given us a taste of the forthcoming Dakar Rally. The fans really are passionately involved, and the hospitality is amazing. I’m already looking forward to starting in front of these people even though a great deal is expected of us. It will be even hotter than in Africa and it will be a question of keeping concentrated. The Race Touareg has one really excellent feature to assist with this: An air-conditioning system will help us to keep a cool head.”

#307 – Timo Gottschalk (D), co-driver
"Many technical sections, dunes, sand and gravel sections – all this can be expected on such a unique rally. The changes along the long ‘Dakar’ stages will be immense and in part, therefore, a contrast to the earlier years in Africa. I’m really looking forward to it. The minimum goal is obviously to reach the finish line on 18 January, as far as anything else is concerned we’ll just let it come to us.”

#308 – Mark Miller (USA)
"The team preparations are over. We completed a roll-out here and went through technical scrutineering. I also completed a personal altitude training session at 3,000 metres over Christmas just before the Dakar. Everything is perfectly prepared for the start – as far as I’m concerned I’d much rather start the first stage today than tomorrow.”

#308 – Ralph Pitchford (ZA), co-driver
"The tension is climbing slowly but surely as the start approaches. After completing document inspection and technical scrutineering we have overcome the final bureaucratic hurdle which finally allows us to start the rally on Saturday. Even when you meet the other competitors here in the ‘Dakar’ Village you feel the butterflies in your stomach. But it is also clear that we are ready to tackle the job in hand.”

[Pine]

Update Sat, January 3, 2009 02:38

500,000 spectators celebrate Volkswagen team at “Dakar” start



Wolfsburg (2 January 2009). Unadulterated enthusiasm: The Volkswagen drivers experienced an atmospheric opening to the Dakar Rally as they drove over the start ramp in Buenos Aires on the evening of 2 January. Half-a-million enthusiastic spectators lining the "Avenida 9 de Julio” – the world’s widest major road – in the heart of the Argentine capital gave the Volkswagen drivers a rousing send-off during the ceremonial start to the 9,500 kilometre long rally classic. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) and Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) contest the world’s toughest motorsport cross country event with four Race Touaregs between the 3 and 18 January.

The impressive setting also inspired Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management responsible for Technical Development, and Wolfgang Hatz, Head of Group Powertrain Development in the Volkswagen group. The first competitive stage and opening 622 kilometres of the "Dakar" are on the agenda on Saturday with the route from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa de la Pampa. The rally also finishes in Buenos Aires on 18 January after a total of 14 stages across the most varied terrain, crossing the Andes twice and a section through the extremely dry Atacama Desert.

"With this genuinely stunning start in such an impressive setting we have witnessed the enthusiasm of the South Americans for the Dakar Rally,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "The real sporting business opens on Saturday. I’m convinced that the spectators on location and sitting in front of the television will see a very exciting race. It’ll be worthwhile following every minute of the action.”

[Pine]

Update Sat, January 3, 2009 19:13

NEWSFLASH: Dakar Rally, Stage 1, 3 January 2009

Volkswagen hold second to fourth after good start to “Dakar”



Wolfsburg (3 January 2009). Good opening for Volkswagen in the Dakar Rally: The Race Touareg cars fill positions second to fourth after the first stage. On the rally’s debut in South America Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) finished second behind Nasser Al-Attiyah in a BMW on the opening day. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) follow in third place in another Volkswagen only 23 seconds behind Sainz. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) completed Volkswagen’s good team performance with fourth position on the stage from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa in Argentina.

On the 733 kilometre and longest opening "Dakar” stage in the event’s recent history Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) established themselves in front of their team mates up to the third time checkpoint, however on the final section they dropped back and have still not reached the finish.

Note for editorial staff: A complete report including the comments of Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen and the drivers follows later.

[Pine]

Update Sun, January 4, 2009 00:32

Dakar Rally, Stage 1, 3 January 2009

Volkswagen fill second to fourth positions after good start



Wolfsburg (3 January 2009). Good opening for Volkswagen in the Dakar Rally: The Race Touaregs fill positions second to fourth after the first stage. On the opening day of the legendary cross country rally’s debut in South America, Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) finished second behind Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S) in a BMW. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) follow in third place in another Volkswagen only 23 seconds behind Sainz. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) completed Volkswagen’s good team performance with fourth position on the stage from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa in Argentina.

On the 733 kilometre and longest opening "Dakar” stage in the event’s recent history Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) established themselves in front of their team mates up to the third time checkpoint, however on the final section they dropped back. A technical problem occurred along the stage on which the fast straight sections switched back-and-forth onto farm tracks at 90 degree bends. The German duo last a total of one hour as a result.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
"That was a successful opening day to the Dakar Rally, for both the rally itself and also for Volkswagen. The spectators’ enthusiasm is really fantastic; they line the route and roar-on the competitors. I’m even more satisfied that Volkswagen made a near perfect start to the Dakar. Second, third and fourth positions are an excellent and satisfying team result. Only a small electrical problem with a huge effect cost Dieter Depping a lot of time. Only five per cent of the overall distance has been completed. I’m optimistic that all our teams will play an important role till the end of the rally.”

#301 – Carlos Sainz (E), 2nd place leg / 2nd place overall
"The first stage started very well for us. We found a good rhythm for this really extremely fast stage. However, after 115 kilometres we caught up with Stéphane Peterhansel who was on the road in front of us in a Mitsubishi. Because of the large dust cloud it wasn’t possible to overtake safely. For this reason we took very few risks and remained behind Stéphane for the rest of the stage.”

#305 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 3rd place leg / 3rd place overall
"Today it was just a question of taking as little risk as possible. At just a little more than two minutes behind the leader we have stayed within striking distance without wanting too much. This was exactly our target. The stage was really fast and we had to overtake a lot of motorbikes in the dust. We saw just how quickly something can happen in a dangerous situation when a motorbike rider crashed directly in front of us. Luckily we were able to stop in time.”

#307 – Dieter Depping (D), 80th place leg / 80th place overall
"The start of the first stage ran positively. We found our pace quickly and were able to maintain it. I felt very comfortable in the Race Touareg again. However, 80 kilometres before the finish we had a technical and obvious electrical problem. The engine wouldn’t rev above 2,000 rpm anymore and so we lost an hour. Some of this also because we attempted to repair the problem with what we had on board and lost additional time as a result. However, all is not lost. The Dakar Rally still has a lot of challenges in store for us and our rivals.”

#308 – Mark Miller (USA), 4th place leg / 4th place overall
"That was one of the fastest opening stages to a rally that I have ever driven. On the one hand it was not so demanding, but on the other hand we had to be very cautious when overtaking the motorbikes. We caught them up early into the stage and it was difficult to find a safe way past them in the dust. All in all it was a successful start to the ‘Dakar’.”


Snippets from Volkswagen bivouac

- Organisational challenge "Dakar” – 25,000 security personnel on call: Other countries, other customs: New challenges confront the Dakar Rally on its premiere in Argentina and Chile. The rally route crosses almost 7,000 different properties on its way from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and back. For the organisers A.S.O. this means a complex logistical effort. In addition to obtaining the individual thoroughfare approvals beforehand, 150 people guaranteed that the rally vehicles were able to complete the first stage from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa undisturbed through the punctual opening and subsequent closing of cattle gates. Along the near 9,600 kilometre long "Dakar” through South America almost 25,000 security personnel are available to safeguard the route.

- Change to the third day’s route following heavy rainfall: Short but just as sweet – the third stage of the Dakar Rally from Puerto Madryn to Jacobacci was already changed in the run-up by the organisers A.S.O. Heavy rainfall during the previous weeks had made several sections impassable due to heavy mud. The Volkswagen drivers and their competition can now expect 551instead of the scheduled 616 kilometres against the clock on the third stage.


Standings after leg 01, Buenos Aires (RA) – Santa Rosa (RA); 371/733 km Stage 1/Total

Pos.; Team; Vehicle; Leg 1; Overall time
1. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S); BMW X3; 2h36m15s (1st); 2h36m15s
2. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 2h38m32s (2nd) + 2m17s
3. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 2h38m55s (3rd) + 2m40s
4. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 2h40m36s (4th) + 4m21s
5. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 2h40m59s (5th) + 4m44s
6. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-P. Cottret (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 2h41m09s (6th) + 4m54s
7. Orlando Terranova/Alain Guehennec (RA/F); BMW X3; 2h41m24s (7th) + 5m09s
8. Nani Roma/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 2h41m26s (8th) + 5m11s
9. Krzysztof Holowczyc/Jean-Marc Fortin (PL/B); Nissan Navara; 2h43m59s (9th) + 7m44s
10. Peter van Merksteijn/Eddy Chevaillier (NL/B); BMW X3; 2h46m54s (10th) + 10m39s
…
80. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 3h36m46s (80th) + 1h00m31s

Coming up …

Sunday, 4 January: Stage 2, Santa Rosa (RA) – Puerto Madryn (RA). The longest stage of the rally does not necessarily mean that it is also the most challenging to drive. Nevertheless: After a fast start, the competitors can expect an initial foretaste of sand on this section. Absolute concentration is required by the co-drivers on the off-road sections so as not to lose valuable time here.

[Pine]

Update Sun, January 4, 2009 19:20

Dakar Rally, Stage 2, 4 January 2009

Volkswagen first and second overall after stage two



Wolfsburg (4 January 2009). Volkswagen assumed first and second positions overall with Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) and Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) after they mastered the challenging conditions on the Dakar Rally’s second stage. Sainz took victory in the Volkswagen Race Touareg on the dusty stage between Santa Rosa and Puerto Madryn in Argentina. The Spanish-French duo staged a thrilling fight for victory on the day with the Mitsubishi pair of Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) and won by 1:14 minutes.

Third best time was sufficient for Giniel de Villiers to improve, like his team mate, one position in the overall standings. The South African is now second 2:19 minutes off the lead. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) felt the full effect of the perils along the 237 stage kilometres, which all the Volkswagen drivers unanimously agreed to be significantly harder than yesterday’s stage and the subsequent 600 kilometre long liaison section to Puerto Madryn. They frequently had to avoid motorcyclists, twice lost their way in the dusty, hot track conditions and are now seventh overall. The demands made of Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) were even harder. After losing time due to electrical problems yesterday, they had to start behind many slower vehicles, but completed the stage so quickly with a perfectly functioning Race Touareg that eleventh best time was the result.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
"A good day for Volkswagen – I can’t say it a different way. Carlos (Sainz) and Giniel (de Villiers) have given us first and second overall, every Race Touareg ran perfectly today so that I am in fact very satisfied. Also, at the first bivouac the obligatory ‘Dakar’ feeling was again apparent, every participant and team are one big family. The demands made of the driver and more specifically the co-driver were considerably greater on the second day, and for the third day we expect a completely different terrain. We aim to prepare ourselves for this as well as possible.”

#301 – Carlos Sainz (E), 1st place leg / 1st place overall
"The second stage was a great deal harder than the first. The motorbikes and dust caused us the most the problems. We had to drive slower behind the motorbikes, but couldn’t afford to stop otherwise we would have got bogged down in the soft ground. The first part of the stage was particularly fast. We got lost once at a difficult point. However, my co-driver Michel worked excellently under these conditions.”

#305 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 3rd place leg / 2nd place overall
"Today we had to master many tight sections full of trees. In the dense dust you are as good as running blind. In the middle section of the stage we got lost briefly and lost one or two minutes. The second stage was also particularly difficult for the co-driver, which makes the fact that we have moved up to second overall even better.”

#307 – Dieter Depping (D), 11th place leg
"It was a lot of fun to attack with the Race Touareg which was running perfectly again today. Unfortunately the conditions were extremely difficult. Many slower cars started in front of us, at the end we even caught up with the motorbikes. Overtaking was only possible if the competitor in front made a mistake. The changing wind direction sometimes made the trip easier, but the wind also enveloped us in dense dust clouds often enough. The navigation along perimeter fences and through the gates of large estates was very difficult; however my co-driver Timo Gottschalk had everything well under control.”

#308 – Mark Miller (USA), 7th place leg / 7th place overall
"To be quite honest I’m disappointed. While two cars from Volkswagen have each improved by one position at the head of the field, we have dropped back. We got lost once in the difficult centre section of the stage and then unfortunately a second time towards the end. Today it was also very unpleasant to have to avoid the motorcyclist who frequently got bogged down just in front of us.”

Three question to Christoph Beck, Service Vehicle Manager

With the opening two stages of the Dakar Rally the accompanying Volkswagen armada is also on the move each day. What tasks to the individual service vehicles have within the team?
"The spectrum of the service vehicles ranges from the three Race Trucks – which deliver rapid assistance in the event of a problem – and four service trucks for tools and spare parts and additional equipment trucks and also the service Touareg and T5 vans which provide transport for the team members.”

A key subject during preparation of the cross country rally prototypes like the Race Touareg on the Dakar Rally was high altitudes. Were the service vehicles also specially prepared for crossing the Andes?
"To a large extent this wasn’t even necessary. In this respect it goes without saying that you must also be able to rely on our service vehicles. With the production-based Touareg and T5 vans the base is designed anyway for these loads, with the trucks modifications require plenty of work. However the expected power loss through the lower oxygen content in the air won’t cause any problems.”

How important are the service vehicles for a factory team like Volkswagen?
"Only the teams with a good service fleet and good mechanics can also guarantee comprehensive maintenance of the rally vehicles. In addition to pure manpower in a team, reliable vehicles for transporting man and material are also vital. Furthermore, it is the task of Race Trucks to assist the rally vehicles on the stages should problems occur. They are also the only permitted assistance during the marathon day between Copiapó and Fiambalá. So, they must not only arrive quickly at the scene but also reach the finish on each day reliably.”

Standings after stage 2, Santa Rosa (RA) – Puerto Madryn (RA); 237/837 km stage 2/total

Pos.; Team; Vehicle; Leg 2; Overall time
1. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 1h56m14s (1st); 4h34m46s
2. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 1h58m10s (3rd) + 2m19s
3. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-P. Cottret (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 1h57m28s (2nd) + 3m51s
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S); BMW X3; 2h02m46s (9th) + 4m15s
5. Nani Roma/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 1h59m02s (4th) + 5m42s
6. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 2h00m08s (5th) + 6m21s
7. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 2h02m30s (7th) + 8m20s
8. Orlando Terranova/Alain Guehennec (RA/F); BMW X3; 2h02m34s (8th) + 9m12s
9. Krzysztof Holowczyc/Jean-Marc Fortin (PL/B); Nissan Navara; 2h02m00s (6th) + 11m13s
10. Robby Gordon/Andy Grider (USA/USA); Hummer; 2h05m38s (10th) + 21m32s
…
Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 2h07m37s (11th) + 1h09m37s

[Pine]

OK, the race info for the past 3 days is updated, so let's have a look at today's stage 3

Stage 3 - Monday, January 5

Puerto Madryn > Jacobacci

Connection: 70 km | Special: 616 km | Connection: 8 km | Total: 694 km

For the third day of the race, the special program is a tough one, ranging over 600 km. It will be a sign that the competitors have reached the heart of the matter, even though big problems are still to come. The entry into Patagonia, which will be accompanied by a significant change in terrain, will need new piloting abilities. The landscape is much hillier, and those who prefer long curves will find what they’re looking for. Here, orientation is done using the lakes that border the route, around ten throughout the day, and numerous pink flamingoes will be the preferred guides for this stage.

[Pine]

NEWSFLASH: Dakar Rally, Stage 3, 5 January 2009

Volkswagen defends its lead with Carlos Sainz



Wolfsburg (5 January 2009). Volkswagen continues to hold its ground after the third stage of the Dakar Rally, with Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) remaining at the top of the leader board. The Spanish-French duo in a Race Touareg was able to increase the lead it established yesterday by more than a minute to 3.40 minutes on the 694-kilometre leg from Puerto Madryn to Jacobacci in Argentina. The second fastest time behind the stage winner Nasser Al-Attiyah (Q) in an X-raid BMW was enough for Sainz to maintain his lead.

The third best time of the stage was likewise secured by Volkswagen, with Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) coming in 1.05 minutes behind their teammates. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) achieved fourth position in another Race Touareg on the second longest special stage of the rally, measuring 551 kilometres. The pair fell one place in the overall rankings, to third place. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) were ranked sixth in stage 3, meaning that all four Race Touareg were in the top six. Overall, Miller/Pitchford have now moved up one position, to sixth place.

A full report including comments from Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen and the drivers will follow.

[Pine]

Stage 3 summary

Pending validation, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (BMW) won his 2nd stage of the rally raid and his 3rd one in all his Dakar participations, 35" ahead of Spain’s Carlos Sainz (VW) and 1’40" ahead of Germany’s Dieter Depping (VW). By a way of consequence in the overall rankings, the Qatari is climbing up two positions to now rank second, 3’40" behind the Spanish Volkswagen driver who still is a solid leader in the race. The manufacturer from Wolfsburg still keeps two Touareg on the podium, as Giniel De Villiers (VW) ranks 3rd, 5’45" behind Sainz. In the Open category, the stage victory goes to Robby Gordon (Hummer). And in the Production category, it is France’s Nicolas Gibon (Toyota) who wins the stage.

[Pine]

Dakar Rally, Leg 3, 5 January 2009

Volkswagen continues to lead with Carlos Sainz



Wolfsburg (5 January 2009). Volkswagen continues to hold its ground after the third leg of the Dakar Rally, with Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) remaining at the top of the leader board. With some controlled driving, the Spanish-French duo was able to increase the lead it established yesterday in its Race Touareg by more than a minute to 3.40 minutes on the 694-kilometre leg westwards from Puerto Madryn to Jacobacci in Argentina. The second fastest time behind the day’s winners Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S) in a BMW X-raid was enough for Sainz to maintain his lead. The third leg presented the participants with speedy stretches and with winding – and therefore also demanding – sections. With some rocky ground to cover, they had to reduce the risk of tyre blowouts in order not to forfeit valuable time.

The third best time of the leg was likewise secured by Volkswagen, with Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) coming in 1.05 minutes behind their teammates. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) achieved fourth position in another Race Touareg on the second longest special stage of the rally, measuring 551 kilometres. The pair fell one place in the overall rankings, to third place. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) were ranked sixth in leg 3, meaning that all four Race Touareg were in the top six. Overall, Miller/Pitchford have now moved up one position, to sixth place.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
"We’ve defended our overall lead and claimed three of the top four positions on this leg – so once again, we can be happy with this result. On the third day of driving, everything is still going according to schedule. I’m particularly delighted that Dieter Depping came third today, as he got off to an unlucky start on the first day. He managed to recoup some lost ground yesterday and today he has demonstrated that he is still very much in the race. All in all, we are very happy. But we also know that there’s a long way to go yet.”

#301 – Carlos Sainz (E), 2nd place leg / 1st place overall
"Having won yesterday’s leg, we started out in front today, which isn’t always easy. And today’s route was more varied and more demanding than on the first two days. With its winding sections, the middle part of today’s route in particular was a lot more interesting than the previous legs. There were rocks all along the route so we tried to avoid getting any flat tyres.”

#305 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 4th place leg / 3rd place overall
"We started off by not taking any unnecessary risks today. Today’s leg included an interesting 200-kilometre stretch that was very bendy and therefore very demanding for the driver. We are still near the top of the leader board – and that was our aim. Today was only the third day and there are still another eleven demanding legs to come.”

#307 – Dieter Depping (D), 3rd place leg / 15th place overall
"Today’s leg was very good to me. Much of it was like a classic sprint rally – and that’s something I’m good at. On top of that, I really felt good again in the Race Touareg today, and the chassis tuning was just right. We’re slowly getting into the swing of things on this rally. Looking ahead, anything’s possible still. We intend to improve our performance step by step.”

#308 – Mark Miller (USA), 6th place leg / 6th place overall
"Today was fairly uneventful for me, and that’s a good thing. We planned to play it safe today but to keep the top of the leader board within reach, and I think we achieved that. At one point, a BMW X-raid overtook us. We thought that trying to keep up with it was too risky, and instead, we decided to set our own pace up to the finishing line to avoid any flat tyres.”

News from the Volkswagen bivouac

- On the ball – communication within the Volkswagen team: Approximately 80 team members, 14 legs, and a single communication system – during the Dakar Rally, a Volkswagen Motorsport SMS service is making sure that all the team members are kept fully up to date at all times. The text messages are the most reliable way for the team to communicate in Argentina and Chile. In addition to up-to-the-minute details of time checks on the special stages, the technicians, engineers and managers also get important information and appointments sent directly to their mobile phones several times a day. This internal team tool will have handled some 16,000 text messages by the end of the "Dakar”. The press is likewise kept up to date on the leg results and the current rankings of the overall classification: accredited journalists can register for this media service via the press database at http://www.volkswagen-motorsport.info .

- BP Ultimate on the road – supplying the Race Touareg with diesel: One of the challenges faced by the Volkswagen team during the Dakar Rally is supplying the 280 hp cross-country rally prototypes and the race trucks with the diesel they need. Making 40,000 litres of the BP Ultimate diesel, which is commercially available in Europe, available at an unwavering quality and in accordance with the regulations called for some special logistics. Half of the fuel was shipped to Argentina in 200-litre barrels while the other half was shipped to Chile – as supplies may not be taken across the border between the two countries. During the rally, the supplies of the Ultimate fuel are being delivered to the bivouacs by two lorries in Argentina and one in Chile.

- Additional safety feature for the Race Touareg: In the evening of the second Dakar Rally day, the Volkswagen service crew fitted the Race Touareg with a new safety feature. An additional bumper on the front of the vehicle is a simple but effective way of dealing with possible collisions with large and heavy obstacles such as bushes. The tubular frame weighing 3.5 kilograms goes right round the radiator grill of the 280 hp cross-country rally prototype and had its first rally outing on today’s leg.


Standings after stage 3, Puerto Madryn (RA) – Jacobacci (RA); 551/694 km stage 3/total

Pos.; Team; Vehicle; Leg 3; Overall time
1. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 4h30m02s (2nd); 9h04m48s
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S); BMW X3; 4h29m27s (1st) + 3m40s
3. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 4h33m28s (4th) + 5m45s
4. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-P. Cottret (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 4h34m58s (5th) + 8m47s
5. Nani Roma/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 4h38m42s (8th) + 14m22s
6. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 4h37m27s (6th) + 15m45s
7. Orlando Terranova/Alain Guehennec (RA/F); BMW X3; 4h38m31s (7th) + 17m41s
8. Krzysztof Holowczyc/Jean-Marc Fortin (PL/B); Nissan Navara; 4h53m14s (11th) + 34m25s
9. Robby Gordon/Andy Grider (USA/USA); Hummer; 4h43m02s (10th) + 34m42s
10. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 5h02m28s (15th) + 38m47s
…
15. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 4h31m07s (3rd) + 1h10m42s

Coming up …

Tuesday, 6 January: Leg 4, Jacobacci (RA)–Neuquén (RA). The teams will face some new challenges at the start of the special stage of 459 kilometres, in the form of rocky sections and water crossings. This leg won’t just put the participants’ driving skills to the test, it will also test their navigational skills as they once again negotiate sandy conditions and off-road stretches.

[Pine]

Today's Stage 4

Jacobacci > Neuquen

488.48 km are on the program of stage 4 including 459.38 of timed route on the same type of terrain as yesterday. Patagonia and its pampa await the contenders for a new fast special stage that might also be treacherous with many potholes and boulders along the route too, without forgetting a few ’rio’ crossings as well - the equivalent of the African...

At the start of this stage, the rocky passageways will make heavy demands on the arms of motorcyclists, while those who are accustomed to “wadis” will be obliged to negotiate the Argentinian “rios” with the same careful attention. Next, the first sandy portions and the long kilometers of off-road will thrill those who love driving them. Careful now! Mistakes can begin to be costly: the stage toward Neuquen has all the ingredients of a trap. By taking on more or less of a lead, the favorites can begin to show themselves and provide indications of a ranking that just might last.

[Pine]

NEWSFLASH: Dakar Rally, Leg 4, 6 January 2009

Volkswagen extends its lead on the fourth leg



Wolfsburg (6 January 2009). Volkswagen clinched a thrilling duel on the fourth leg of the Dakar Rally to win its second stage victory. On today’s route from Jacobacci to Neuquén in western Argentina, Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) in a Race Touareg fought it out with Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S) until the Volkswagen duo gained the upper hand with a lead of six seconds. Sainz now leads the famous desert classic for the third consecutive day and has increased his lead on the BMW X-raid driver to 3.46 minutes.

In their battle for the front position, Sainz and Al-Attiyah put more than two minutes between themselves and the third best team, which goes to show how intense the competition on today’s 488-kilometre leg was. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) came in sixth today in their Volkswagen Race Touareg, defending their third place overall. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) achieved the fourth best time of the day on today’s special stage, which went from an altitude of over 1,300 metres to just 300 metres above sea level. This means there are still three Volkswagen drivers in the top six in the overall rankings. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) in the fourth Race Touareg came in eleventh, 12.49 minutes behind Sainz/Périn.

[Pine]

Dakar Rally, Leg 4, 6 January 2009

Volkswagen narrowly wins day four of the “Dakar”



Wolfsburg (6 January 2009). Volkswagen clinched a thrilling duel on the fourth leg of the Dakar Rally to win its second stage victory. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) in a Race Touareg fought it out with Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S) on today’s route from Jacobacci to Neuquén in western Argentina. The Volkswagen duo ultimately gained the upper hand with a lead of six seconds in spite of experiencing a slow puncture on the last few kilometres of today’s special stage, which differed from the last few days’ routes due to trial-like sections, drives through dried-up riverbeds and a greater degree of off-road driving. Sainz now leads the famous desert classic for the third consecutive day and has increased his lead on the BMW X-raid driver to 3.46 minutes.

In their battle for the front position, Sainz and Al-Attiyah put more than two minutes between themselves and the third best team, which goes to show how intense the competition on today’s 488-kilometre leg was. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) came in sixth today in their Volkswagen Race Touareg, defending their third place overall. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) achieved the fourth best time of the day on today’s special stage, which went from an altitude of over 1,300 metres to just 300 metres above sea level. This means there are still three Volkswagen drivers in the top six in the overall rankings. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) came in eleventh in the fourth Race Touareg, 12.49 minutes behind Sainz/Périn, after having to make two stops for tyre changes along the way. Overall, the German pair have now improved their ranking by two places to 13th.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
"Again, we can say that things went well for Volkswagen once more on day four. I’m immensely proud of the entire Volkswagen team, including the drivers, who have done a great job so far in this year’s ‘Dakar’. Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al-Attiyah are currently the fastest in the field, but all the other teams are still hot on their heels. After day four, I would say that so far, this has been one of the most exciting ‘Dakars’ ever. There’s no doubt about it – bringing this rally to Argentina and Chile was a good idea.”

#301 – Carlos Sainz (E), 1st place leg / 1st place overall
"Today was very exciting. During the special stage, we not only caught up with Nasser Al-Attiyah in the BMW, who started ahead of us, but also went on to even overtake him. Things became quite tight again towards the end after we suffered a slow puncture. We decided to press on without changing the tyre, but we did have to stop to pump it up again. And that did the trick: 0.8 bar was all that was left in the tyre at the finishing line and we had secured ourselves a six-second lead.”

#305 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 6th place leg / 3rd place overall
"We had a very interesting day today. Things got off to a good start and all in all, everything was as good as perfect. We did lose our way briefly and found ourselves in a dead end. We then had difficulty getting back on course, and that cost us a few minutes. The Race Touareg has so far stood up admirably to everything that’s been thrown at it. That’s good to know, because the event is getting more difficult by the day and the biggest challenges of the rally are most certainly still to come.”

#307 – Dieter Depping (D), 11th place leg / 13th place overall
"Today didn’t go quite as well as the last few days. We forfeited twelve minutes in comparison to the leaders, but having suffered two punctures, I’m happy with this result nonetheless. Apart from upsets like that, which can happen again and again, the Race Touareg is running like clockwork.”

#308 – Mark Miller (USA), 4th place leg / 6th place overall
"I’m more than happy with fourth place. It’s been a great day! Because I’m sticking to my tactic of not taking too many risks during the initial special stages. The legs are already getting more and more demanding by the day, and the most difficult stretches are still to come. But with lots of rocks along the track, we didn’t want to risk getting a puncture by driving too unrelentingly. We’re focusing on keeping the top of the leader board within reach – and we achieved that today.”


Three questions for Peter Utoft, Volkswagen Team Manager

This Dakar Rally is one of the biggest challenges the drivers and co-pilots can face. What is different about the "Dakar” in terms of organising the team?
"The mechanics and engineers have to deal with quite a marathon every day too. On average, the crews in the service vehicles cover about 800 kilometres every day. This entails setting off at 4.00 a.m. in order to be ready to service the rally vehicles at the next bivouac when they come in. This servicing work can easily last until midnight – so there’s not much time for sleeping.”

What minor adjustments can you make as the team manager in order to make things as comfortable as possible for the technicians and engineers?
"For maximum crew safety on the long service routes, we have stipulated that one team member per vehicle must get at least six hours of sleep. And then there is also a small crew that stays with the Race Touareg until just before the leg gets underway. A different crew does this every day – and this has the advantage that the crew in question can then have a longer sleep. But on the flip side of the coin, this means they also get to the next bivouac much later.”

To what extent does good organisation play a part in the success of the rally drivers?
"Good team management involves making sure that each and every member of the crew is in the right place at the right time. It is also important to us that the mechanics are happy, and they can only be motivated in their work if they are able to get as much sleep as possible, get on well with the other team members and are also well fed by our very own chef. The individual work processes are also an important criterion and every member of the team needs to know what he should be doing in the bivouac. This is working in this year’s team without the need for much to be said. So I would say that we have once again come on a long way in this area.”

Standings after stage 4, Jacobacci (RA) – Neuquén (RA); 380/488 km stage 4/total

Pos.; Team; Vehicle; Leg 4; Overall time
1. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 3h42m57s (1st); 12h47m45s
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Tina Thörner (Q/S); BMW X3; 3h43m03s (2nd) + 3m46s
3. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 3h48m45s (6th) + 11m33s
4. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-P. Cottret (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 3h49m51s (8th) + 15m41s
5. Nani Roma/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 3h48m35s (5th) + 20m00s
6. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 3h47m17s (4th) + 20m05s
7. Orlando Terranova/Alain Guehennec (RA/F); BMW X3; 3h49m46s (7th) + 24m30s
8. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (F/F); Mitsubishi Racing Lancer; 3h45m21s (3rd) + 41m11s
9. Robby Gordon/Andy Grider (USA/USA); Hummer; 3h55m10s (10th) + 46m45s
10. Krzysztof Holowczyc/Jean-Marc Fortin (PL/B); Nissan Navara; 3h56m11s (12th) + 47m39s
…
13. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D); Volkswagen Race Touareg 2; 3h55m46s (11th) + 1h23m31s


Coming up …

Wednesday, 7 January: Leg 5, Neuquén (RA)–San Rafael (RA). The drive from Neuquén in the north-west to San Rafael in the province of Mendoza is perhaps the most challenging test in the first rally week of the "Dakar”. The great distance to be travelled – 763 kilometres in total, of which 506 kilometres are against the clock – will call for a high degree of concentration and includes a 20-kilometre drive through sand dunes as well as off-road stretches along the "rios”. The Andes will be visible on the horizon today.