Central Europe Rally 2008

Budapest (HUNGARY) - Amaury Sport Organisation announces the creation of the Central Europe Rally. This new rally organised under the « Dakar Series » certification will take place from April 20th to the 26th in Hungary and Romania. Scrutineering and administrative checks will take place on 19th of April in Budapest.

The Central Europe Rally, between Budapest and Lake Balaton in Hungary, crossing Romania, will consist of an extremely varied and technical route. Nearly half of the total distance, 3000kms, will be run in special stages. The opening of entries is planned on 11th of February. A.S.O has already received the support of all the major teams. BMW, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Schlesser and KTM have already shown a great interest for this new event, image of the development that A.S.O. wishes to bring to the sport.

The Central Europe Rally will be the first event to be run under the “Dakar Series” certification. This certification will be given to other races that offer the same high organisation and safety standards, strong participation and media attention as the legendary Dakar. With the Central Europe Rally (*), the aim of A.S.O. is to enable the competitors of the Dakar, which was cancelled on 2008, to enter a new rally with some extremely advantageous conditions and offer their sponsors exposure in a major international event.

The “Dakar Series”, which was planned to start in 2009, is a project that A.S.O. has been working on for a long time. It will begin one year ahead of schedule. This first Central Europe Rally is a milestone of a series of new events intended to expand besides the Dakar Rally. The 2009 Dakar edition will be announced in the weeks to come.

The Central Europe Rally, first ever competition of the "Dakar Series", is an off-road rally open to bikes, quad-bikes, cars and trucks. As for all races under the "Dakar Series" label, it has the authority to accommodate the sport's elite drivers, as well as amateurs wishing to pit themselves against a demanding course.

 

7 days of competition

Following a short stay in Budapest, where the teams will be called for technical and administrative checks, on 19 April, then a parade in town, the following day, the competitors will drive towards Romania, where the first competitive special section will be run.

The competition's programme is tough: drivers will be timed each day in one or two competitive special sections, the distance of which is between 60 and 170 km. In Romania, technical ability will be most challenged, on a route sometimes cut by valleys and winding. In Hungary, the parts of the race in forest or in the plains will also demand a keen sense of trajectory. Other parts will invite drivers to push their vehicles to their maximum speeds.

At the finish, at Lake Balaton, after 3,000 km of route, 1,500 km of which comprising timed sections, competitors will be invited to a prize-giving gala.