Dakar, étape 1 : Al-Attiyah et Sunderland premiers leaders / Al-Attiyah (cars) and Sunderland (bikes) on top

Nasser Al-Attiyah (Mini/Michelin) a remporté la première spéciale du Rallye Dakar 2015, alors que le vainqueur sortant Nani Roma s’est arrêté après six kilomètres de course. Les trois Peugeot 2008 DKR ont rallié l’arrivée à Villa Carlos Paz. En Motos, le match KTM / Honda est lancé.

Le Rallye Dakar 2015 a débuté avec une première étape entre Buenos Aires et Villa Carlos Paz, à quelque 800 km de la capitale argentine. La spéciale, longue de 175 km, se terminait à San Nicolas de los Arrocos, petit village posé au milieu d’une plaine fertile.

A midi, quand les premières autos sont apparues, le thermomètre indiquait une trentaine de degrés. Il faisait plus chaud encore près des braseros allumés par les spectateurs autour du point stop…

La Mini ALL4 Racing Red Bull de Nasser Al-Attiyah s’est présentée en tête, alors qu’elle était partie en 2^e position ce matin. « Nani est arrêté au km 6, je n’en sais pas plus », a annoncé le Qatari qui avait roulé sur un bon rythme « sans en rajouter ». « C’était très rapide, mais il y avait quelques virages serrés et piégeux. »

« C’est bizarre, Nani et Michel sont près de l’auto et attendent, les bras croisés », a déclaré Xavier, le copilote d’Holowczic (5^e, +1min16s), un peu plus tard. « Ils sont arrêtés après une bosse, mais pas un gros jump ».

Les Mini ALL4 Racing ont signé un doublé avec Al-Attiyah et l’Argentin Orlando Terranova (+22s) : « C’était une belle spéciale, mais on a dû surveiller la température moteur qui avait tendance à monter trop haut. »

L’Américain Robby Gordon a signé le 3^e meilleur temps (+1min04s) « sans avoir attaqué », devant le Sud-Africain Giniel de Villiers (4^e, +1min12s). La première Peugeot 2008 DKR, celle de Carlos Sainz, s’est classé 8^e à 2min06s du vainqueur, alors que Peterhansel a pris la 10^e place à 2min35s : « Il était important de ne pas commettre d’erreur et de tout « checker », c’était stressant mais le bilan est positif. »

Ce sont les motos qui ouvraient la route en cette première journée. Parti en tête, Marc Coma a réalisé le 3^e meilleur temps à 1min12s du vainqueur, le Britannique Sam Sunderland (KTM/Michelin). Au guidon de sa Honda, Paulo Gonçalves a conclu à seulement 5 secondes après 175 km avalés à 130 km/h de moyenne. Les meilleurs ont dépassé les 180 km/h en pointe. Son équipier Joan Barreda a pris la 4^e place devant Alain Duclos et sa Sherco (+2min08s). Le match KTM / Honda est donc lancé.

The opening stage of the 2015 Dakar was won by Nasser Al-Attiyah (Mini/Michelin), but last year’s winner Nani Roma stopped after just six kilometres of competitive action. All three Peugeots reached the finish in Villa Carlos Paz, while the battle on two wheels between KTM/Honda has got off to a great start.

The first stage of this year’s Dakar took competitors from Buenos Aires to Villa Carlos Paz, some 800km from the Argentine capital. The 175km stage ended in the small village of San Nicolas de los Arroyos situated in the middle of a fertile plain.

When the first cars appeared at midday, the thermometer was already up to the 30°C mark, and it was even hotter next to the spectators’ brasero barbecues near the finish control.

Despite starting the test second in the running order, Nasser Al-Attiyah and his Red Bull Mini ALL4 Racing were the first to appear. “I saw Nani stopped at Kilometre 6; that’s all I can say,” reported the Qatari who admitted to pushing relatively hard, but within reason. “It was a very fast stage but there were some tricky tight corners.”

“It’s strange, Nani and Michel [Périn] were just standing next to their car with their arms folded,” added the co-driver of Holowczyc (5^th, +1m16s) shortly afterwards. “They were stopped just after a jump, but not a big one.”

Mini ALL4 Racings came first and second thanks to the local star Orlando Terranova (+22s): “I liked the stage but we had to keep an eye on the engine temperature which got a bit hot.”

The USA’s Robby Gordon was third (+1m4s, “I didn’t push hard”), ahead of South African Giniel de Villiers (4^th, +1m12s). The best-placed 2008 DKR was that of Carlos Sainz who was eighth quickest (+2m6s), while Peterhansel was 10^th (+2m35s): “It was important to check that everything was working okay and not make any mistakes. It was quite stressful but it’s a positive result for us.”

The first competitors on the road were the bikers, with the field led by Marc Coma who was third fastest on the stage, 1m12s adrift of today’s winner, Sam Sunderland (KTM/Michelin). Paulo Goncalves (2^nd) completed the 175km just five seconds short of the Briton after covering the stage at an average speed of 130kph, with top speeds in excess of 180kph. His Honda team-mate Joan Barreda was fourth, ahead of Alain (+2m8s), ensuring that the eagerly anticipated fight between KTM and the Japanese make got off to the best of starts!

Nani Roma: The Dakar – More Than a Race

In just over three week’s time, the flag drops on motorsport’s most extreme test of man and machine. A brutal 9,000km of dirt and dunes tracking across the entire width of Latin America, from Buenos Aires in Argentina to Iquique in Chile and back again, is the route for the 2015 edition of the legendary Dakar Rally.

In 2014 winner Nani Roma’s eyes it is the last big challenge in motorsport, and the fact that you only get one shot a year at locking down the ultimate off-road prize, adds to the test.

At the last edition, the Spanish Monster Energy rally raid driver scorched to victory in his X-raid prepped Monster Energy Mini ALL4 Racing machine, denying ‘Mr Dakar’ Stéphane Peterhansel a record 12th overall win. Now, even with a motorcycle (2004) and a car class Dakar title to his name, his appetite to conquer the ultimate off-road endurance race again, is stronger than ever.

We caught up with Nani at his home in the foothills just outside Barcelona to get an idea on just what the Dakar means to him, and how psyched he is to take the fight to the competition. Hit play on edit below.

FORD MARMON-HERRINGTON WOODIE 4×4

This Ford Marmon-Herrington Woodie 4×4 (or more correctly, Ford Marmon-Herrington Super Deluxe Station Wagon) is an exceedingly rare vehicle from the post-WWII era built by Ford and then converted to 4×4 by Marmon-Herrington.

These conversions were rare due to the associated cost – it essentially doubled the price of the vehicle and the benefits of 4×4 weren’t particularly well understood in 1946. It was just a year after the end of the Second World War and most associated 4×4 vehicles with the spartan and rather uncomfortable Willys Jeep.

Looking back from the year 2014, as the surge for luxurious SUVs continues to skyrocket, it’s interesting to think of the foresight exhibited by Ford Marmon-Herrington and their unusual 4×4 Woodie – it was one of the very first luxury SUVs ever made and it would essentially create a market niche that go on to be worth billions.

Marmon-Herrington Woodie started life as a new Ford Super Deluxe Station Wagon, the body would be lifted off the chassis and new strengthening cross members were welded into place to support the weight of the new front axle. A matching Ford rear axle would then be fitted in front, with CV joints on either end, and a drive-shaft would be attached from the new transfer case.

Power was provided by a 239 cubic inch L-Head V8 engine with Holley 2-barrel carburettors, it produced 100bhp at 3,600rpm and sent power to both axles via the original 4-speed manual transmission.

The rear of the wagon kept its original axle but gained ground clearance with new transverse semi-elliptical leaf springs and the front axle sat on quarter-elliptical torque springs with longitudinal semi-elliptical leaf springs.

Due to the cost and relatively new concept of civilian 4×4, very few Ford Marmon-Herrington Woodies were sold – this is the first one I’ve ever seen for sale and the team at Gooding & Company have stated that it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy one. This rarity has contributed to the relatively high estimated value of the vehicle – it’s thought that it’ll go for between $400,000 and $500,000 USD, although it’s tough to accurately value it due to the fact that we haven’t seen one in this condition sell at auction in recent memory.

If you’d like to read more about the history of the Marmon-Herrington Woodie you can click here to visit Gooding & Company.

All images copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photos by Brian Henniker.

1965 Motorycle Road Safety PIF - Look, Signal, Manoeuvre

Ah those were the days....when I was a lad... lol
Motorcycle road safety PIF from 1965 - a road-safety film contrasting the standard of riding between two twenty-year-old motorcyclists. Produced by Associated British Pathé for the then Ministry of Transport.
Different times.........but some things never change!