FIRST EDITION: AN ALREADY COVETED TITLE

March 7, 2008 –An unprecedented format for a rally-raid, in the heart of two countries raiders have rarely visited: the idea has already won over the regulars of the sport, including a large portion that has redirected its energy toward a new objective. Less than a month after entries began to be accepted, the Central Europe Rally, which will be run in Hungary and Romania between April 20-26, is shaping up to be a must do event for the competitors, because some 110 motorcycles, 70 cars and 37 trucks have entered to date.

The Central Europe Rally is preparing for a large number of competitors. This first edition of the event will also welcome a who’s who in all-terrain competition. Among the regular top runners on the Dakar, the entry forms of Bruno Saby, Guerlain Chicherit and Nasser Al Attiyah for the BMW X-Raid team, Jean-Louis Schlesser and his blue buggy, as well as Robby Gordon with his always impressive Hummer, have already been received.

In all probability, the duel opposing Mitsubishi, with Peterhansel, Alphand and Roma, against Volkswagen, with Sainz and De Villiers, should be yet another episode in the ongoing battle between the two constructors on the tracks of Central Europe. The battle for the first ever win of the REC should also be a fantastic race for the motorcycles, because Cyril Despres, Marc Coma, David Casteu, without forgetting Francisco Lopez or David Frétigné, will also be on hand in Budapest. With such a strong field, led by defending Dakar winner, Hans Stacey, the race to be the first to write his name in the record books in the truck category will too be hotly contested.

The awaited reunion of these rally-raid champions constitutes a significant media event with the airing of specific programmes in more than 130 countries all over the world, via France Television, as well as networks Eurosport, Supersport in South Africa and Fox Sport International in South America.