Mongol Rally
However, to avoid punitive costs and taxes associated with vehicle imports and disposal, the rally now passes through Mongolia and ends in Ulan-Ude.
The principal launch is from Goodwood Circuit in the United Kingdom, with subsidiary starting points in the Czech Republic.
There are other differences from mainstream rallies, particularly the fact that no support team is provided and no other arrangements are made such as for accommodation, maintenance, or fuel.
This changed from 2007 as the event is now organised by the League of Adventurists International Ltd, a privately owned profit making UK company.
[7] The main British starting point moved from Hyde Park, London, to Goodwood in West Sussex for the 2009 to 2012 events.
[8] After setting off from Goodwood or one of the other Western European start points (including France, Italy, and Spain), participants then generally proceed to a launch party in Prague where they converge.
Typical routes then head for Moscow, Kyiv or Istanbul, though teams have travelled as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
[9] The final leg of the rally takes surviving vehicles into Mongolia and on to finish back in Russia in Ulan-Ude.
Depending on the route taken, the total distance driven is around 13,000–16,000 kilometres (8,000–10,000 miles) and most teams complete the rally within three to four weeks.
In 2009 Mongolian import restrictions meant that vehicles must be less than 10 years old and the engine limit was raised to 1200cc to account for the difficulty in finding modern cars under 1000cc.
Because vehicles less than 5 years old are outside the budget of many people in 2014 the rules were 'devolved' it was decided that cars of any age would be allowed on the Rally but they must be removed from Mongolia after the event.
Nevertheless, due to the concerns, the organizers of the Rally stipulated in the contract with teams in 2006 that they should not remove components from the car, such as the rear seats, to ensure that the vehicles remained useful and achieved a reasonable return at auction.
In 2004 there was no entry fee, although the 6 teams had to raise a minimum of £500 each, to be paid directly to that year's rally charity Send a Cow.
[15][7] The Mongol Rally is now organized by the company set up by the founder, Tom Morgan, called The League of Adventurists International Limited[16] (number 05995303) incorporated on 10 November 2006.
Mongolia was chosen, being 10,000 miles [16,000 km] away as the drunk crow flies and sporting a fine selection of the world's worst roads it seemed perfect.
