Volkswagen - Safety has priority: Volkswagen respects “Dakar” cancellation

[klaus]

http://race-deZert.COM/forum/logos/vw.gif

30th Dakar Rally

Safety has priority: Volkswagen respects “Dakar” cancellation


Wolfsburg (4 January 2008). It is with great regret that Volkswagen acknowledges the cancellation of the 30th Dakar Rally. "The safety of every single participant has absolute priority and for this reason Volkswagen completely and utterly endorses the decision made by the organisers ASO to cancel the start of the Dakar Rally originally scheduled for 5 January,” explains Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member with responsibility for Technical Development at Volkswagen. "We are obviously very unhappy about the cancellation, since we prepared for this rally for an entire year and were extremely well equipped for this sporting challenge.”

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen underlines: "We fully respect the decision for safety purposes, which also have absolute priority for us. The cancellation is a great disappointment for every member of the Volkswagen Motorsport team, particularly as everybody was looking forward to starting this peaceful and fair sporting competition.”

At midday on Friday, 4 January 2008 the "Dakar” organisers ASO officially announced that the rally will be not be held due to the significant safety concerns voiced by the French Government regarding the stages in Mauritania. The start of the 30th Dakar Rally was scheduled for 5 January 2008 in Lisbon. The "Dakar” should have finished, as is tradition, after 15 stages and approximately 9,300 kilometres in the Senegalese capital city on 20 January.

[Triple B]

I am reading beteen the line here :rolleyes: but this is what I see :D




http://race-deZert.COM/forum/logos/vw.gif

30th Dakar Rally

Safety has priority: Volkswagen respects “Dakar” cancellation


Wolfsburg (4 January 2008). It is with great regret that Volkswagen acknowledges the cancellation of the 30th Dakar Rally. "The safety of every single participant has absolute priority and for this reason Volkswagen completely and utterly endorses the decision made by the organisers ASO to cancel the start of the Dakar Rally originally scheduled for 5 January,” explains Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member with responsibility for Technical Development at Volkswagen. "We are obviously very happy about the cancellation, since RGM prepared for this rally for an entire year and were extremely well equipped and VW had nothing for this sporting challenge.”

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen underlines: "We fully respect the decision for safety purposes, which also have absolute priority for us. The cancellation is a great disappointment for every member of the Volkswagen Motorsport team, particularly as everybody was looking forward to see RGM on the podium.”

At midday on Friday, 4 January 2008 the "Dakar” organisers ASO officially announced that the rally will be not be held due to the significant safety concerns voiced by the French Government regarding the stages in Mauritania. The start of the 30th Dakar Rally was scheduled for 5 January 2008 in Lisbon. The "Dakar” should have finished, as is tradition, after 15 stages and approximately 9,300 kilometres in the Senegalese capital city on 20 January.

[Icewalker]

I am reading beteen the line here :rolleyes: but this is what I see :D

It's a pity we don't have a w@nker smiley :rolleyes:

[geronimo5]

It is with great regret the French have rolled over on their backs exposing their soft underbelly for Islamic extremists to do as they wish.

[Infidel Racing Team]

It is with great regret the Euopeans have rolled over on their backs exposing their soft underbelly for Muslim extremists to do as they wish.

I wouldnot say that....If that is the case you can easily say:....This year several US teams "exposed their soft underbelly" to the Mexican Mafia and call it quits in Baja.

Safety should take priority over everything...period. It has nothing to do about being spineless.

[FlyHiFlyLo]

It is with great regret the Euopeans have rolled over on their backs exposing their soft underbelly for Islamic extremists to do as they wish.

Oh come on... You can't blame all Europeans... There are a lot of good euros... I have many euro friends. Just blame the Radical French.

[geronimo5]

I wouldnot say that....If that is the case you can easily say:....This year several US teams "exposed their soft underbelly" to the Mexican Mafia and call it quits in Baja.

Safety should take priority over everything...period. It has nothing to do about being spineless.

I'm not comparing the Dakar to Baja, I would not say that. Completely different topics, the similarity is racing. The difference is Global Islamic Extremism vs. localized criminal elements.

The scenario with Dakar is much larger than the Baja issue.

FWIW, I went to the Baja Mil last year and I will go this year unless I'm deployed fighting the Global War on Islamic Extremism NOT (the Global War on Terrorism).

[geronimo5]

Oh come on... You can't blame all Europeans... There are a lot of good euros... I have many euro friends. Just blame the Radical French.

I work with three Europeans and they are the first to admit they are thoroughly infiltrated and declining as a society.

[tractoR]

It is with great regret the French have rolled over on their backs exposing their soft underbelly for Islamic extremists to do as they wish.

Well the Americans like Geronimo5 are so smart they should go ahead and organize their own race in Mauritania. Then we can talk... :rolleyes:

[geronimo5]

The organization of the race is brilliant, not the problem. The sad part is permitting Islamic Extremists to change your way of life.

[dan200]

At least the BLM isn't behind all this.....or are they?

[MARK]

I think the Islamic Extremists and the Eco Extremists are both behind this.

[WickedGravityVideo]

Hey Mark Miller --- CALLING MARK MILLER

We would love to hear you chime in and share your thoughts and insight. thanks.

[Mark_Miller]

From the corporate side it would have been better to have some stages, create some marketing wins. From the personal side I prepared all year to win Dakar not some stage in Portugal or Morocco. I would prefer not to die at the hands of a terrorist so I have to believe that ASO knows what they are doing, they are not sacrificing a billion dollar opportunity because of something that is not real. I feel sorry for the privateers and Robby's guys, they are all on tight budgets and dont have options for other marketing events like we will have. Maybe it will make the World Cup a stronger venue/series? No one knows but I am sure that there will be great events in the future that will have a standard that is high enough to be considered Dakar worthy. Sorry for all of us that Dakar 08 is gone with no battle.

[bufeo]

... . Sorry for all of us that Dakar 08 is gone with no battle.

Mark, once again, many thanks for taking some of your time to post your perspective.

I don't speak for all arm-chair desert racers, but this one was especially sorry to see this year's Dakar Rally go down the tubes.

Allen R

[FlyHiFlyLo]

I don't speak for all arm-chair desert racers, but this one was especially sorry to see this year's Dakar Rally go down the tubes.

Allen R

You can speak for this one... this blows!

[WickedGravityVideo]

Thanks for your thoughts, Mark. We all are sympathetic towards your Dakar situation. I can hardly imagine the human energy and passion directed at the race, and then having the race just disappear. We're damned proud of the few americans who represent us at Dakar.

What are you plans for USA desert racing this year, both with VW and others? You got something to drive at Laughlin or Parker? thanks

[Mark_Miller]

I would love to contest the World Cup for VW with Sainz and de Villiers but thats not really my decision, my schedule will be tight this year with the New Trophy Truck and all the testing, added to that Ryan Arciero and I are helping VW to get the Jetta Cup upstarted and that will take a lot of time testing on pavement. And then hopefully we will have a Dakar 09 to prepare for. So once the dust settles in a few weeks we will see. Until then I hear the Snow calling my snowmobile in Colorado and I think a new KTM250xcf may be seen on some enduro trails near my house in AZ. And maybe you will spot a red R-44 cruising around Deer Valley airport practicing Autos... :-)