It’s only 8 days till the start of the first African Rally Championship event. The 49th Rallye Bandama in the Capital city of Ivory coast, Yamoussoukro is expected to be a great starter to the season. Visit the events page for more information.
The Qualifying stage in front of the Parliamentary Palace in Yamoussoukro will kick off the formalites at 15:05 on Friday, March 24. The crowds gather to see this spectacle. The onset of major action is readily indicated by the red sand-coloured dust clouds at this time.
The first stage of Leg 1 of the rally namely PARLEMENTAIRES totalling 10,98 km will get the crews in the mood for racing as they make their way to the next challenge. Stage 2, X1 KAKOUBROUKRO will require concentration to manoeuvre through its 25,66 kilometres of villages and country roads. Special Stage 3 ALLANGOUANOU, a brief 5,95 km stage will be the pacesetter before the teams head to the service park for the 1st well-deserved service of the day. Well-prepared cars, a dedicated Service crew and a solid game plan are needed to be victorious in the Sport of Rally. The Service park and Rally Head Quarters will be located at the nearby Hotel President.
Another 21,56-kilometer adventure called ZATTA, special stage 4, will take the teams through rural areas and on open roads on the outskirts of the Capital City. But hold on—the best is yet to come! The rally warriors will have to be on the notes after completing stage 5, which is 5,98 kilometres short, before tackling stage 6, the longest stage of the day totalling 31.21 kilometres. LEG 1 of the 49th Rallye Bandama will come to a close with 6 thrilling stages and a total of 101,34 racing kilometres.
Leg 2 begins on Sunday morning at 7 a.m. with six challenging stages. The men, women and service teams will have to pull out all the stops for Stage 7, which is a repeat of Stage 1 of leg 1. Special stage 8, KETEKRE BONIKRO, will challenge Men, Women and machines on its 15,07 kilometres.
For those who have made it successfully this far, Stage 9 AFOTOBO, the longest stage of the Event, a total distance of 49.56 kilometres, will really put their stamina, speed, and talent to the test. I can assure you that these stages require both a noteworthy skill set and steely nerves.
Stages 10, ALLANGOUANOU, a repeat of Stage 3, Stage 11 X2 KAKOUBROUKRO and Stage 12 ATTIEGOUAKRO ROAD will bring the surviving teams home to the final Parc Ferme of the event. The first car is expected back at Hotel President around 10:47 am. The official podium ceremony is anticipated to start at 12:30 when the top honours will be handed out.
Alain Ambrosino, President of the Motorsport Federation in the Ivory Coast and Clerk of the Course for the event is a master at giving competitors and spectators a memorable experience. Not forgetting the marshals who make it possible for the competitors to show off their skills. THANK YOU for volunteering your time to stand in the Sun and dust to make this possible. Miss it and you will miss out!
Soyez en sécurité, TOUJOURS. La sécurité d'abord. As they say in French, Safety First,ALWAYS! Rendez-vous en Côte d'Ivoire. See you in Côte d'Ivoire
