The Central Europe Rally, first ever competition of the "Dakar Series", is an off-road rally open to bikes, quad-bikes, cars and trucks.

As for all races under the "Dakar Series" label, it has the authority to accommodate the sport's elite drivers, as well as amateurs wishing to pit themselves against a demanding course.

The least we can say is that the Hungarians' enthusiasm was worthy of the event. Braving the morning rain, the inhabitants of Budapest rushed in their thousands to watch the spectacle of the verifications and rub shoulders for a short while with the competitors and their machines. With the verifications complete, a caravan of 238 vehicles, including 96 motorbikes, 18 quads, 84 cars and 40 trucks, will set off tomorrow from the Heroes' Square for the first stage which will take the competitors into Romania, and more precisely to Baia Mare in the Carpathian Mountains.

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Following a short stay in Budapest, where the teams will be called for technical and administrative checks, on 19 April, then a parade in town, the following day, the competitors will drive towards Romania, where the first competitive special section will be run.

The competition's programme is tough: drivers will be timed each day in one or two competitive special sections, the distance of which is between 60 and 170 km. In Romania, technical ability will be most challenged, on a route sometimes cut by valleys and winding. In Hungary, the parts of the race in forest or in the plains will also demand a keen sense of trajectory. Other parts will invite drivers to push their vehicles to their maximum speeds.

At the finish, at Lake Balaton, after 3,000 km of route, 1,500 km of which comprising timed sections, competitors will be invited to a prize-giving gala.

The Central Europe Rally is an invitation-only race, for which competitors enrolled for the Dakar 2008 have priority. They will notably be exonerated from commitment fees. A.S.O. extends its thanks to the drivers and teams for their renewed trust.

The race's different categories and classes are identical to those of the Dakar.

Assistance vehicles will be accredited by the rally's organisation, free of commitment fees. Each evening, they will have access to an assistance facility, where mechanics will be given open access to work on the race vehicles.