308 teams at the start of the off road rally “BAJA DEUTSCHLAND”

From May 29th to 31st, the European amateur off-road motorsport community will get together to race and celebrate the “BAJA DEUTSCHLAND”, the biggest licence-free weekend off-road rally in Europe. 131 rally cars, 114 motobikes, 26 racing trucks, 28 side-by-side buggies and 9 quads are registered in the race – including some well known vehicles and participants from the legendary “Dakar Rally”.

The rally will take place in one of Germany´s biggest coal-mine, near Leipzig in the middle of Germany. The wide open area is always surprises the competitors with new challenges, year by year. The versatile rallyroute offers fast-speed tracks, narrow forests, sand, dust – and because of the heavy rain of the recent days numerous mud- and water-passages.

With the BAJA DEUTSCHLAND a historical name is revived. More than 10 years ago, some off-road fans founded the event. The idea: To add a German round into the FIA Cross Country World Cup. Off-road stars like former Volkswagen-factory driver and Dakar-winner Jutta Kleinschmidt, the French ski-champion Luc Alphand (X-raid BMW X5CC) or Mitsubishi-lady Andrea Mayer participated in the rally. But the idea didn´t become accepted and so the rally was cancelled after only some years.

Ín 2008 the “Baja Saxonia” based on this idea and in 2012 the “Baja 300 Mitteldeutschland” was born. This race grew over the years to Europe’s largest licence-free Baja with more than 350 starters. Although it was first launched as a pure amateur event, more and more professional teams participated, so that the race turned into a top-class international motorsport event. That’s why it now deserves to be called BAJA DEUTSCHLAND again.

From the very beginning the “4×4 Club Leipzig” and its members contributed decisively to the development of this sport and were responsible for the Baja 300 Mitteldeutschland in 2012 and 2013. In order to further maintain the high level of this event, the club will enter into cooperation with the “RALLYE BRESLAU”, the biggest off-road marathonrally in Europe.

“For the off-road motorsports this means, that from now on the two biggest events will be carried out by a single organiser,” said Alexander Kovatchev, organizer of the rally. “Equipment and know-how can be better utilised as well as the quality level will be increased.”

“THINK OFF-ROAD” is the new slogan of the rally. Beginning with the scrutineering on Wednesday, May 28th. The main days will be Friday and Saturday May 30th-21st), when the participants will race for two days and six hours each. Due to security reasons, the classes are split into two groups “bikes and quads” (driving from 06:00 – 12:00 CET) and “cars, trucks, ssv” (driving from 13:00 – 19:00 CET).

 

BAJA DEUTSCHLAND 2014 ITINERARY

Thursday, 29/05/14
10:00 – 17:00 CET: Scrutineering (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)

Friday, 5/30/14
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP01 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP01 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)

Saturday, 5/31/14
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP02 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP02 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
22:00 – XX:00 CET: Prize giving ceremony (event tent)

Sunday, 02/06/14
00:00 – 11:00 CET: Departure of participants (Camp)