The 2016 Dakar Rally has already has the setback of Chilé being removed from its rally raid course, and now today we get word that the ASO is making another alteration to next year’s event, as Peru is being removed from the course as well.
The news comes about after weather forecasts predict a particularly strong El Niño this year, which has lead the Peruvian government to declare an emergency in 14 regions of the country.
This has also lead to the cancelation of the Inca Desafío race, and of course nixes the country’s involvement in the 2016 Dakar Rally.
This is being done in order to assure that all of the country’s emergency and logistical services will be able to respond to the needs of citizens during the El Niño period, which in the past has caused mammoth amounts of rain, and played havoc with the country’s fishing industy.
This news is perhaps ironic, as Peru was originally placed on the upcoming Dakar Rally route as a replacement for the Chilean portion of the course.
Chilé was removed from the Dakar route after massive mudslides in the northern part of the country, and near the Dakar course, meant government resources had higher priorities than an off-road race.
The ASO is now working on a new route, which will go through Argentina and Bolivia, and will be announced during the second-half of September. Stay tuned for more information on that, here at Asphalt & Rubber.
Source: ASO
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