Sportsmanlike Conduct and The Right Decision

We've finally had the whole Dakar rally coverage and seen Ms. Kleinschmitt win, and good for her (up the women racers!) And sucks to Schlesser for his cheating and for his attitude toward cheating.

But I wonder, if I were Kleinschmitt, if I would have thought of the man who finished just behind me - who had led the race up until he was cheated out of it (and I note that he wasn't cheated out of it by her) - he is 40 years old and it's likely he won't get many more chances to win that race. I don't know how old she is but she loooks a lot younger and will doubtless be in many more races.

In the circumstances, and in a perfect world, if I were she I would have let him win. I really think it would have been the sporting thing to do.

What do you think?

I guess they didn't have a Gentelman's agreement about whoever gets to the first corner first wins!


There are two points here:

1. She was in it as a privateer, not part of the team
2. No-one remembers who came second

History was hers for the taking, and she took it. If she'd been a part of the team, fair enough, but even then are team orders allowed, and what would the FIA have said. I don't think it's under their jurisdiction, but there might have been outcry anyway.

I think she did the right thing.

I agree she did the only thing she could do...unless she developed brake problems or something. It just seems to me like a really good race came to a sort of bitter end because of the way Schlesser and Servia behaved.

Anyway I'm glad she won and think it's amazing that the winner came out of only 3 women entrants and I think the other two were on bikes, so she was the only woman in a car.
Well done, Ms. Kleinschmidt!

But me, I would have developed brake trouble and let Hiroshi win. In a perfect world.

Liz, that's why you're not a professional racer. At the top level, money comes a long way before sportsmanship. At club level however, many an amateur sportsman would do what you described.

I agree 100 % with what Liz says. I'm glad for Kleinschmidt, but I really feel for Masuoka. He had it in the bag, and was cheated out of it by Schlesser. I've never disliked Schlesser before, but now I know one driver I won't be cheering for come the next Dakar... :(