Dakar Protest Results

It was reported that RGM lost the appeal on the protest for the air handling system. It wasn't for tire pressure but for cooling the electronics per the article.

"There's an old saying amongst motorsport enthusiasts that the only people who benefit from protests - especially at international level - are the lawyers.

Well, the lawyers must have had a field day on this one, as American Robbie Gordon appealed his exclusion from the 2012 Dakar Rally to the highest levels of the FIA - and lost.

Apparently Gordon and his Qatari team mate, 2011 winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, were having problems with heat build-up in the engine compartments of their Hummers that was affecting the electrical systems.

Al-Attiyah battled on until he suffered three alternator failures in quick succession on the 377km Stage 10 from Iquique to Arica, at which point he was forced to throw in the towel.

KEEPING THE PROBLEM UNDER CONTROL

Gordon, however, had put in extra ducting to feed cool air to the vulnerable electrics, which kept the problem under control and enabled him to run flat out without frying his Hummer's alternator.

But when the stewards (possibly alerted by Al-Attiyah's demise) noticed the extra ducting after Stage 10, they ruled that the modifications could improve the engine's performance, thus rendering the Hummer ineligible under the class regulations, and they excluded him from the rally.

Gordon, who was chasing Stephane Peterhansel for the lead at the time, and was in with a shout at winning the rally outright, promptly protested his exclusion (wouldn't you?) and was allowed to continue under protest.

In the end, he finished fifth, but the resultant, long drawn-out legalities meant the results remained provisional until the Gordon's appeal was finally decided - in the stewards' favour - at a hearing in Paris last week. "

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/motorsport/gordon-loses-dakar-exclusi...

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Permalink Reply by Bob Farrell on December 21, 2012 at 12:06pm

FIA...French idiot As-holes....never embarass a French hero in public...they don't like to see their heroes cry (which lead to the invention of the full coverage helmet)

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Permalink Reply by J.R. Sands on March 27, 2012 at 7:54pm

Well.....so the ASO told Robby that he is DQ'd for deflation system. Then claimed, at a later date, it was ducting for the electronic equipment......pricks. ASO knew the Mini's were getting its ass kicked, they had to do something

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Permalink Reply by mj on March 27, 2012 at 7:58pm

Things that make you say HMMMMMMMMM

Brian FRANCE ?
Paris FRANCE ?

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Permalink Reply by Slider316 on March 27, 2012 at 8:09pm

nice. RG said this was approved in scrutineering, so where does this whole 10 stage inspection deal fit? Curious though abouit Nassar's hummer and the alt issue. I never heard why that kept happening.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on March 27, 2012 at 8:34pm

@Slider, Nasser's co-dog (sorry forgot his name) mis-installed the belt's.It may have even been on purpose.Unknown to us at the time, Nasser needed to DNF/Withdraw/go home so he could qualify for the Oylmpic's.
RGM had spare belts on the sweep truck,they installed a belt-Baja Bob drove it around for the rest of DAKAR with the same belt.
Robby claimed to have the prints of the in/deflation with signatures approving the system.Robby also said in interview 'they' could spend all summer in SoCal court,he's got the signed doc's. So,the venting thing is something they (ASO-FIA) pulled out of their ass.IMO