Marc Coma on a KTM - Now an endangered species?

Following KTM’s withdrawal from the Amaury Sport Organization’s “Dakar” Rally (now held in Argentina and Chile) due to the organizations limiting single-cylinder motorcycles to 450ccs effective in 2010 for professional riders, the Austrian manufacturer has chosen to support customers participating in Africa Eco Race 2010.  A choice that reflects the changing Dakar Rally landscape.

The Africa Eco Race 2010 largely follows the Dakar Rally’s former route  through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal, and runs in a similar time frame; starting December 27, 2009 and finishing in Dakar on January 10, 2010.  This is after the ASO cancelled the 2008 Dakar Rally in 2008 citing to security concerns in the area.

In a press release KTM stated that, “As KTM was forced to withdraw from the Dakar Rally by the organisers ASO, this action is a first indication of how the company’s future activities in Rally Sport might look like.”  Add, ‘after we abandoned our Dakar efforts due to the ASO ruling’ for effect.

In a press release Heinz Kinigadner, who is responsible for KTM’s rally sport engagement, stated: ”In the first place it’s all about supporting our customers – exactly where the regulations permit it. We have taken this step because it gives us the possibility to ride in Africa again and because of the huge interest shown by our customers in this event. The organizer fulfils all internationally recognized safety standards and beyond. According to a statement issued by them, the respective governments have also promised to ensure the security of the race.”

The move back to Africa marks a return to the Dakar tradition, but also a growing battle of wills over the race itself as Dakar Rally originator Jean Louis Schlesser and former ASO race director Hubert Auriol worked with Rene Metge and Jose Maria Servia to creating the upstart Africa Eco Rally (known last year as Race of Africa).

Rally though is not just a game of tradition and location, but media coverage, which teams leverage into sponsorships and organizers into profits. At rough estimate the ASO’s Dakar has over 2.2 billion television viewers, coverage in 189 countries and 53 million web page views, which is hard for the upstart Africa Eco Rally to compete against.

The South American located Dakar Rally’s media success was in part due to the large number of participants who made the switch from Africa for last years rally, but that success was propped up by the ASO providing shipping for European participants to the new location and covering entry fees based on the 2008 cancelation. Those considerations are no longer in effect this year, and the effect on registration remains to be seen as it will be cheaper for European racers to attend the Africa Eco Race 2010.

If participation drifts, the state is set for future Africa Eco Race’s to be a bigger media draw, winnowing away the ASO’s “Dakar” influence and setting the stage for a race between the two races. In the end likely there will be no winners as the rally community is forced to choose, and the fields of competitors for both races is divided.

More information about the race at: www.africarace.com

BONUS: In the following video Sporting Director, Rene Metge gives the reasons why he “can’t wait to be in Africa…”
http://www.africarace.com/videos/file_MARDI_V3_TEASER_AFR.flv