Dakar Racers Face Unfair Tyre Change Loophole Under Red Flag Rules
The peculiarity of the free tyre change allowed under Dakar’s red flag rules has long been a source of frustration for drivers in the world’s toughest off-road race. When the situation arises, like it did in the recent Dakar Rally, those who are caught on the wrong side of the rule lament the sheer randomness of it.
During the event, several top contenders were left ruing what they had lost by switching to fresh tyres as the weather conditions worsened, while those who carried on in the treacherous conditions got a free tyre change after dramatic incidents on the course. The apparent luck of the draw is something that time and again gets criticised by Dakar racers, yet no one has come up with a fairer solution.
“Of course I’m always on the bad end of it, so it probably sucks more for me than anyone, but I think it’s just a very unfair rule that should be taken away,” said one frustrated driver after the latest edition of the Dakar Rally.
The issue has also put a spotlight on another factor that is slightly more worrying – the fact that, in deteriorating weather conditions, drivers are almost encouraged to stay out on far-from-perfect tyres much longer than they ideally would. This can create a dangerous situation, with cars literally struggling to stay on the track.
“When some pitted, the rain was coming, we stayed out, which was very sketchy,” explained one race winner. “At one point it was just, we need a red flag. It was just undriveable, even on the extreme tyres.”
Dakar team bosses have also expressed discomfort with leaving cars out in such treacherous conditions, even if it offers a potential competitive advantage.
The way to stop drivers taking the gamble and pushing on with unsuitable tyres would be to not allow the free tyre change under red flag rules. But this would create its own safety risks, as drivers could be forced to continue on damaged tyres after incidents.
Various ideas have been proposed to try and make the system fairer, such as allowing tyre changes but with a penalty, or mandating a pit stop during normal race conditions. However, the Dakar organisers have yet to make any significant changes to address the ongoing frustrations of the competitors.
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