Dakar 2008 Set to Begin in Portugal
Motor sports enthusiasts around the world are gearing up for the start of this year’s Lisboa Dakar Rally on January 5 and 6, 2008. The rally opens this year with a stage covering 486 km from Lisboa to Portimao. This first stage features a 120 km special, a timed portion of each stage in the Dakar which is used to establish standings. The second stage on 6 January covers a 535 km route from Portimao to Malaga, with a 60 km special.
It is the diversity and challenge of the terrain that sets the Dakar apart from other competitions. Highlights of WRC Movies may feature incredible landscape and a breath-taking route, but few rallies involve such extreme shifts in terrain. The 5 January stage features sand as well as firm terrain, while stage 2 on January 6 includes a run through extremely mountainous and potentially slick terrain.
Following the two initial Portugal stages, competitors cross the Mediterranean and resume the race in Morocco. Morocco features 4 stages stretching across even more challenging off-road terrain. Forget Drift movies where mistakes end in spinouts and uneventful halts. The terrain in Dakar makes mistakes brutal, and if you enjoy truly gripping off road entertainment, the Dakar is the rally to follow into Morocco and beyond all the way through 15 stages, ending in Senegal.