Dakar Cancelled.

The 2008 running of the Dakar Rally has been cancelled due to terrorist threats. With organisers unable to guarantee competitors safety on as many as nine stages they were left with little option but to cancel the event. Works teams and privateers had invested massive amounts of time and money into preparing for the event but all agreed that terrorist threats made the planned event impossible.
The Red Bull Volkswagen Touareg team were amongst the favourites for outright victory and had been hoping to add the Dakar to their FIA championship victories of 2007. Team boss Kris Nissen supported the organisers completely believing that competitor safety is paramount. This despite Volkswagen having invested an estimated 23 million pounds on developing their Race Touareg and team for the cancelled event.
The future of the Dakar rally remains unclear; many privateer teams are unable and unwilling to commit the huge funds required to an event that may be cancelled due to terrorist threat again. Works teams like Volkswagen are also expected to view future events with a more critical eye before committing the resources required to compete in a 15 day desert marathon.