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)

Getting Started: Every epic story has a great start

Ignition. It’s an emotional moment. That strained whirring and ticking, induced by the twist of a key or the push of a button, that divides the still silence from the eruption of the engine. This video, aptly named ‘Getting Started’, shows 33 exotics, both old and new, roaring into life…

So what’s your favourite? It’s a truly difficult question considering the mouth-watering selection. Will it be the romantic purr of the Ferrari 250 Lusso’s 3-litre V12, the lazy, thrumming idle of thePorsche 901’s boxer-six, or perhaps the angry, fuel-spitting V8 in the Jaguar F-type?

While the more modern machines’ engine notes are arguably louder and more in-your-face, we can’t help but feel that, in comparison to the characterful, more mechanical song of the classics, they feel a little synthesised and artificial. Just listen to the distorted and hurried idle of the 1957 Jaguar XK-SS (Steve McQueen’s car, no less), interrupted with short, sharp stabs of throttle – it’s heavenly, and inimitable. Nothing can detract from the sheer diversity in sound, with each and every car offering a distinct tone that perfectly defines its individual looks and personality, be it an American V8, a British inline six, or an Italian V12. Listening to them one after another is a real aural feast. 

Whatever your preferred sound, you can find thousands of classic and modern luxury cars for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

Rossi : « Gagner au Mugello est avant tout une question d’honneur »/ Rossi: ‘Victory at Mugello is a matter of honour’

Le nonuple Champion du Monde Valentino Rossi participera ce week-end au Mugello au 300e Grand Prix de sa carrière, sur l’un de ses circuits fétiches.

Valentino Rossi sera à domicile ce week-end pour le Grand Prix TIM d’Italie, tout comme le team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP qui est basé à côté du circuit de Monza, à Gerno di Lesmo.

Deuxième des deux dernières courses, le pilote italien espère se battre pour la victoire ce week-end sur une piste où il s’était imposé sept fois de suite en catégorie reine de 2002 à 2008. Rossi avait aussi triomphé en Toscane en 1997, en 125cc, puis en 1999, en 250cc. Il avait abandonné l’an dernier après une collision avec un autre pilote dans le premier tour.

« Je suis très heureux d’aller au Mugello », a commenté The Doctor. « C’est une piste magnifique, que j’aime beaucoup. Il y a toujours 25 points en jeu, comme sur les autres courses, mais au Mugello c’est avant tout une question d’honneur. Jorge (Lorenzo) a gagné là-bas ces trois dernières années avec Yamaha, en faisant de fantastiques courses, et ça signifie que la M1 est très compétitive sur cette piste. »

« Ce sera mon 300e GP ce week-end et ça ne me plaît pas vraiment parce que ça veut dire que je suis vieux ! Mais je suis quand même content parce que je suis en forme et que je peux encore être rapide. »

MotoGP™ heads to Tuscany this weekend for Valentino Rossi’s first home race of the year and the 300^th of his career, at the Gran Premio d'Italia TIM.

 race is also a home Grand Prix for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team itself, being based in Italy at the historic Monza circuit in Gerno di Lesmo.

Rossi prepares to entertain his home fans in good form having been at the sharp end of recent races and having taken a well earned second place on the podium at the last round in France.

The local hero remains the only Grand Prix rider ever to take seven straight wins at his home race, scoring consecutive premier class victories at Mugello from 2002 to 2008.

Prior to this he also had a 125cc win in 1997 and a 250cc win in 1999. He will be determined to forget last year’s unfortunate DNF after crashing on the first lap.

“I am very happy to go to Mugello,” comments The Doctor. “This is a beautiful track and I like it so much. There are always 25 points as the other races, but Mugello is a matter of honour. Jorge (Lorenzo) has won the last three years on the Yamaha, doing fantastic races, and this means that the M1 is very competitive on this track.”

“It will be my 300th GP this weekend and for that I am not very happy because it means that I'm old! But I'm happy because I am in good shape and I can still be very fast.”

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