Blog Lisbonne Dakar 2008 - Luc Alphand - Par Sandy Divelec

The tire pressure during a rally is very important and especially in cross country rallying. Depending on the ground type, the pressure of the tires must be adjusted.

For the moment this system is being tested by members of the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team. If a couple of seconds may be gained, the system will be worth it!

On Thursday April 24th at approximately 19h00, the first three ranked cars of the race were requested by the Hungarian race officer for technical controls. A mechanic and technical director of each team were present for these verifications.

Each team had to empty the fuel tanks completely as the cars had to be weighed to ensure they were up to regulations. These controls confirmed that each car was up to the standard regulations of the FIA. All three cars passed the checks with flying colours.

The FIA is responsible for the standards of the racing cars and have a working group to ensure that the rules are up to date and logical for this discipline. In the working group there are representatives of the manufacturers and the FIA and the rules which are made are the base regulations for all cross country rallies which are part of the FIA calendar.

For the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, it?s Jean-Marc Bonnay who is responsible to check the rules and propose modifications, if necessary. He works diligently alongside the FIA.

Before each event, he receives the regulation projects which he studies to ensure they are using the FIA standard regulations.

When he’s on a rally, he must ensure that all the regulations are respected and is the one who liaises with the race organizer. He works very closely with the co-drivers and helps them with the administrative work.

He is the Deputy Sports Director. When Dominique Serieys is absent, he is delegated to represent Mitsubishi.

The various points which are subject to the technical controls are the following:

• The weight
• Suspensions
• Vehicle dimensions
• GPS
• Security items (fire extinguisher, crew clothing, etc..)
• Fuel composition control

It's incredible but true! Since the start of the Central Europe Rally, we have crossed roads with a young man who has been at every bivouac on the Hungarian soil. At Budapest, then at Decebren, and finally at Veszprem. This young gentleman has followed our team to every bivouac!

Passioned by cross country rallying and the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, the young man spent the yesterday and today with the team living the bivouac experience.

It's with the greatest pleasure that this young man slept on our bivouac last night where we found him wide eyed and smiling this morning wearing a team shirt and cap!

It's great to see people who share the same passion as we do!!

After having driven timed stages, there's nothing better than a little bit of comfort. Everyone has their weak spots...

Stephane gets his energy back by munching on the candy smurfs! Just a little secret... He also loves Nutella !

Do you recognize the man in the picture ? I'll give you a hint...he's a confirmed high level sportsman in another activity...

OK, I'll help you...He was part of the French team in the 90's...and he played 3/4 wing...have you found his identity ?

His name is Philippe Bernat-Salles. He was an international Rugby man from the Pau region in France. With a group of friends, he decided to participate in the 2008 Dakar for the first time and the name of his team is: 100% South West!

Further to the cancellation of the Dakar he decided to test his driving skills at the Central Europe Rally. However, his first passion is always close at hand, as when he's waiting at the service park he has the Rugby ball in his hands...!

250 volunteers help the organizer for the Central Europe Rally. The organizer counts for 110 persons, 50 percent of which are Hungarian. All the people have specific functions within the race organization and are divided between the Race CP, etc. They are on the terrain from the morning until the night and round the clock if necessary.

Translation :

A PC is a passage control. The competitors are obliged to stop at a precise area for a passage control. They must have their cards stamped by the organizer. There are maybe 1 or more control passages during a timed stage. It all depends on the length and the type of special.

A Way Point is a precise spot on earth calculated by the longitude and the latitude.

There are also masked GPS "WPM" which organizer may place as they wish.

These WPM go off at a couple of hundred meters from a vehicle when entering the WPM zone which can go from 300 meters to 3 kilometers.

A CP is the organizer's control post. It's the heart of the race where everything is managed. IE: sporting rules, security, medical assistance, etc...It s the central information area.