On the road to ruin!

Jan 5 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A TOP rally driver from Huddersfield has been left reeling – and facing a financial crisis.

Paul Round, of Lower Cumberworth, could be left with a £1.5m bill after the last-minute decision to halt today’s Dakar Rally because of terrorist fears.

Not only was his team Rally Raid UK due to start the race in Lisbon with nine cars and five motorcycles, he and his company have spend the past year working on vehicles for many other competitors.

They had shipped all the vehicles out to Portugal, ready for the stunning race across North Africa, but were dealt the shock blow yesterday.

“I am disappointed, very stunned and totally shocked at the moment”, said Round, a Dakar veteran.

Round was at the start line in Lisbon preparing his team for the start of the gruelling race.

But the annual cross-African Dakar Rally was cancelled yesterday - the eve of the race - because of security fears.

Organisers feared it may become an al-Qaida target.

Round, who has competed in the race over the past decade, said: “I am disappointed, very stunned and totally shocked at the moment.

“Everyone is walking round in a daze, no-one can believe it has happened.

“The entire team is packing up and preparing to come home.”

He says his team, Rally Raid UK, has spent 2.2million Euros (£1.6million) preparing for the race.

They were supporting nine cars, five bikers and were also giving assistance to eight other competitors.

They are still unsure how much money, if any, they will be able to re-coup from organisers.

He said: “There were no rumours beforehand, nobody knew a thing until about 11am (Friday) when someone said it was going to be cancelled.

“I think it will have terrible consequences in the future.

“A lot of people have travelled from all over the world, they have spent a lot of money and we are in the same boat. Millions have been spent on this race.

“It really has come at the very last minute.

“I don’t know what the future holds for the Dakar. I’m not sure if we will put this much into a race and I’m not sure if customers would either.

“It could be we put our time, money and effort into backing another race in the future.”