Max Power, Homer. Homer, Max Power.

The English have a way with words.

A humourous take from maxpower.co.uk on "Operation Panda", aka Team #5, entered in the 2006 Mongol Rally:

Ferrari and Subaru decide to sit out the only true test of motorsport skill and luck as the Mongol Rally prepares to capture the world's imagination - with teams trampling 8000 miles in £150 shitters.

Mongol Rally is the ultimate back-to-front motorsport/glamour rally. Teams have to drive to Mon-bloody-golia in cars costing no more than £150 and no bigger than 1-litre. Unlike the uber-glamours Gumball and Cannonball events where overnight stays are sufficed by Penthouse suites with Caprice and Jodie Kidd, Mongol competitors sleep in their cars.

There are no back up teams, support crew or grannies standing by at a trestle table with cups of ice cool water waiting to quench racers' thirsts.

The route goes from London to Mongolia and takes in some of the roughest terrain in the world, through countries including Russia, Kazakhstan and finally Mongolia. Organisers reckon the expedition should take about three weeks, but realistically Scott and Shackelton had less to worry about nipping to the Antartic then these fearless 4-cylinder warriors.

Two such brave buggers are Tim Norris and Tom Ingham from the mighty Peterborough (see above). Their chosen chariot is a far from luxurious E-reg Panda. Click their pic above to link straight to their site and help support the selfless Mongols.

Oh, and the reason for such inane stupidity, charity (char-it-eeee). Tim and Tom's chosen causes are Send a Cow and the Christina Noble Foundation.

Operation Panda

To read more about Tim and Tom's excellent adventures, or if you want to read about the kinds of pratfalls that await those who dare embark on such a quest ("43 Cars left London ... 14 Cars reached the finish in Ulaanbaatar ... 1 car snapped in half ... 1 Team found a 10ft deep pothole ... 0 Teams died ... ) visit their humorous page at: www.operationpanda.co.uk.

Good luck Operation Panda (and Molly too!)

Other Rally Teams & Their Humorous Bids for Contributions

the Drivers of Rohan

Skoda Power Turbo Racing Team (1 member only drives in 1st)

Lost & Hungry ("relevant skills: blagging" what's this in american?)

The Mongol Frauds

Mongolian Taxi Service

The Adventure Capitalists

Bad Colonies

Yak Atak

Team Newyorkistan (America representin'!)

Team Monkeytank (Ladies' representin'!)

Team Pink Panda

Team Fiesta Mongolia

Team Wales to Mongolia

Squires on Safari

Team Fiesta

Team Desert Penguins

Team Directionless

Team Gooby

Trans Asia Two-Stroke Syrena Squad

Team Twister (busted link...)

For a list of all the teams participating in the 2006 Rally, click here.