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Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on January 16, 2015 at 5:46pm

It's really hard to say.If they thought they where going to show up and win,they are probably very disappointed.If they thought they where here to put a DAKAR worth of testing under there belt,they suceed'd.Stephane has done a good job,considering he came from 4WD's.Overall,I think they're lucky the course favor'd 4x4's in general.

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Permalink Reply by Sandi Parker on January 16, 2015 at 6:17pm

Are both the Gordini and the Peugeot simply down on power, when compared to the Mini's and Toyotas ?

... or maybe just so happens ... 4WD rules ... again ... jeje

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Permalink Reply by Bob on January 17, 2015 at 12:17pm

From RDC :

As the 2015 Dakar Rally comes to a close, speculation has already begun regarding what 2016 will hold, with much of the rumors surrounding Stephane Peterhansel and the Peugeot team. Despite driving a vehicle that is at a clear disadvantage to the competition with regards to suspension and stability, Peterhansel managed to finish Stage 12 in 7th place and sits in 11th place overall. “It was very interesting to do the stages yesterday and today; now we have more information. I don’t think a stage win is possible,” Peterhansel admitted. “I think it was possible in the desert when it was really open desert, but we lost that possibility. Tomorrow it’s not possible. Now we have a lot of information and we are sure that for next year we will be ready for the fight for victory, for sure.”

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Permalink Reply by mark roye on January 17, 2015 at 1:41pm

I don't think that the Gordini is markedly down on power compared to the Mini and Toyotas. In the stage video when Yazeed passed and then was again chased and overtaken by RG and JC, the Gordini was able to close, and in other high speed sections the Gordini easily held its own until low oil pressure required nursing it home. The 2wd did not seem to be a detriment even in very slippery sections, though it likely was in other sections with deep, loose material and deeper mud. It's hard to say about the power of the Peugeot, but most likely they are close on power as well, or they would not have made such an effort. I just re-watched the Argentine TV coverage of Stage 1 which included considerable aerial coverage of some very long straights, culminating in right-hand turns leading onto another long strait. The Peugeot evidenced some real handling deficits. It seemed to have considerable under-steer on entry, didn't want to rotate in the corner, and then had considerable over-steer on exit. The Gordini, in contrast, rotated very, very well in the corner, had only moderate throttle-induced over-steer which looked deliberately applied to complete the rotation, and then hooked-up very well under acceleration, getting onto the strait very quickly. In further contrast, the 4wd Minis and Toyotas, while obviously very quick, seemed to enter well, but had almost violent over-steer on exit. However this did not seem to affect them too much. They just held the power down, and the driven front wheels eventually seemed to straighten them out. It looks spectacular, but it's hard to say how fast it in fact is. But in the over-all compromise which is so important in Dakar, the Gordini design is obviously very successful. My guess is that the Gordini is probably fastest overall under the broadest range of conditions, but labors under some handicap occasionally in the really loose material that favors 4wd. This is the result of the very excellent handling that RG seems to have achieved with this design, as well as the fantastic suspension travel that permits high speed over very rough terrain. The Peugeot has not achieved this degree of handling, nor does it enjoy the degree of suspension travel that permits high speed in rough terrain---but they will likely get there, as clearly they can observe the Gordini. When you look at the overall time lost by the Gordini, virtually all of it was the result of reliability issues. The stuck brake caliper that lead to numerous stops, that lead to a fire, that lead to extra loading on the flex-plate and clutch components that lead, eventually in all probability, to vibration damage to engine bearings and resultant low oil pressure. When the Gordini was able to be driven to its design capabilities it was very fast over a wide range of conditions. While some conditions clearly favored 4wd,, had the Gordini been able to be pressed hard for the total length of the event the result obviously would have been very different. Reliability, not general lack of speed. or even choice of design type, was the Achillies Heel. And this was not a result of inadequate testing, or cheaping out on any component. We don't know what caused one brake to stick when the same system has been used for years, but it did, and that began a chain of events that created an insurmountable time deficit. The amazing thing is that RG and the team fought back and finished at all, finished respectably in light of all of the outright failures in the field, and finished with a display of speed, however briefly, in the final stage. I'm certain he's dissapointed, but likely heartened by the clear potential.

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Permalink Reply by Dave-O on January 17, 2015 at 2:24pm

The minis are dominating S America Dakar with smaller wheels and less suspension travel. What they get in return for giving that up seems to be worth the trade-off.

While that may the way to win Dakar at the moment, I don't think it suits RG's driving or building styles at all. Regardless, RG finished Dakar, hit the podium on a few stages. You have to finish the race before you can win the race.

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