Join in and discuss all the action from stage 8 of the 2015 Dakar Rally. This is the second half of the Marathon stage. The special section of stage 8 is 781km long. Robby Gordon start time: 5:25am/et, and he will be the 9th car off the line. After a 9th place finish in stage 7, Gordon sits 23rd in the overall standings, 5h48m behind. Raceday chat will be available throughout the entire 2015 Dakar Rally.
2015 Stage 7 Photos
STAGE 8 TRACKING
STAGE 8: UYUNI > IQUIQUE
Connection 24km | Special Stage 781km | Total 805km
COURSE OVERVIEW
The Dakar bows to the laws of nature. Hence, the weather will decide which route will be taken to leave Bolivia. If it’s dry, the start could take place in the Salar de Uyuni, for a 100km route across a smooth road of white salt: full throttle and foot to the floor! The route then slows down abruptly, with the longest part of the special stage taking place on more technical mountain terrain. The day will end with more than 40km of dunes, concluding with the vertiginous descent to Iquique.
The GREEN section of the route is the connection , the RED is the Special Section of the stage.
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yeah. According to the map, neutral zone was supposed to begin at WP10, but it looks like it began from WP12 to WP13. In that case, RG is 1hr down.
I do have a question for you TOG---the altitude of todays stage is tough on our motor vs turbo minis. I wonder if there is anything RG is thinking of, modification wise, to take away this weakness. Say RG had a clean dakar up to now and was within say 30-45 minutes of the leader todays route would have most likely ended his chance at an overall win. If this motor isn't good at high altitudes which are going to part of each years Dakar what can he do to remove this weakness from the program?? Just curious
From the Net a GM V8 making 400 HP at sea level will only make 274 HP at 10,000 feet
This, in part, is why the ASO has already increased the restrictor size permitted in naturally aspirated engines. It is not true that only naturally aspirated engines loose power at altitude. The turbo diesels also will be down on power, just not to the same degree. Although the turbo is still compressing air, it also has lower density air to compress.The math works out like this: For every 2,000 feet of altitude there is a 1 psi drop in ambient air pressure. So at 10,000 feet ambient pressure is 9.7 psi. Sea level is 14.7 psi. A naturally aspirated engine will make power at the rate of the pressure at altitude divided by that at sea level. So at 10,000 ft, Gordini power will be 9.7 psi/14.7 psi or 66%. A turbocharged engine will also loose power, but at a lesser rate. It is a function of turbo boost pressure. Let's assume they are running a 20 psi turbo boost. The math for 10,000 feet then becomes (9.7 psi+20 psi boost)/(14.7psi+20psi boost), or 85%. So the Gordini at 10,000 feet is at 66% of full rated power, the turbo engined Mini at 85% power. Temperature and humidity will also affect these calculations, but the comparative power losses will be essentially the same. The only thing that could change this is a varriable rate turbocharger, but the rules do no permit this.
The Gordini and the Toyotas have performed well with naturally aspirated gas engines. I don't think it can be said that this is a "weakness in the program". Choice of engines, like all else in race car design, is a compromise. RG has made that choice with eyes wide open, and outright speed has not been lacking. I wouldn't call that a weakness.
For instance. AL-Attiyah was leading at WP11 , and is now 3 minutes down at WP12. He could have gone 10 mph slower on the road, on purpose, and lost that time, because he knows his 'clock in' time entering the neutral section, will be the same as his 'clock out' time at the end of the neutral section.
Or he stopped and got new tires from one of the other Minis. Thats what Peterhansel did in previous years when he was leading for mini.
I've done alot of codriving in rally cars in the US. I suspect the neutral portion is like a transit where the teams have a maximum allowed time which is significantly more than they should need to complete the distance and includes extra time to change tires, get fuel, etc. As long as you make it to the time control at the start of the race section on your assigned minute there will be no penalty or loss of position.
I looked it up... Hopefully Robby had enough time to fix whatever needed fixing and get to the start within his target time without speeding :-)
38P4 NEUTRALISATION BETWEEN TWO CONSECUTIVE SELECTIVE SECTORS
On several Stages a neutralisation will be effected in the form of a transfer, with a target time, to
separate two sections of the same Selective Section.
The Crew will hand in its Time Card to the Time Control at the beginning of the Neutralisation, on which
will be noted the time at which they start the Neutralisation (finish time of the 1st section) and their time
at the end of the Neutralisation which will also be their start time for the 2nd section.
During these Neutralisations the maximum speed allowed, checked by GPS, will be that of the speed
limit of the country being crossed.
Assistance is authorised in the Neutralisation itinerary among Pilots /Competitors still racing.
Assistance by a Service vehicle is authorised only for the sections common to the Race and the Service
Vehicles.
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