With more than 50 Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini supercars in its massed ranks, the Gumball 3000 Rally, an action-backed three legged event that will take competitors right around the world, kicked off in Pall Mall, Central London yesterday afternoon.

This years event has now seen the initial dash from London on Sunday afternoon which took the cars through through the Eurotunnel and on into Belgium to a midnight checkpoint at the historic Chateau de Beloeil. Then it was an overnight drive to Vienna where they arrived late this morning. Carrying on across Europe with crews are now arriving in Budapest. Tomorrow they will be heading for the Serbian capital city Belgrade before the cars are then airlifted to Asia for a second leg which takes them through the rainforest from Phuket to Bangkok, and finally on another flight to the West Cost of the US for a route that will take them from Utah to Las Vegas, and the finally to a finish line in Beverley Hills. En route the competitors will stay in 5-star hotels, attend nightly lavish parties, and wind up finally at the famous Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.

The eighth edition of Gumball 3000 Rally, which is inspired by the classic 1976 Burt Reynolds road movie Cannonball Run started at Pall Mall on Sunday, the cars flagged away by Maserati-driving supermodel Jodie Kidd who took part last year, and Welsh rap stars Goldie Lookin' Chain. Among the 120 starters in London yesterday were 28 Ferraris and 17 Lamborghinis. Italian sportscars to catch the eye included a 'Metropolitan Police' liveried Lamborghini Gallardo, several lurid-coloured Murciélagos, a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Enzo supercar and a Maserati MC12.

The entry list includes pop star Pink with her husband, motocross racer Carey Hart, driving a Bentley, Jackass's Ryan Dunn, MTV's Bam Margera, skateboarder Tony Hawk, sports star Mike Vallely and motocross star Travis Pastrana - reports the London Evening Standard. They will be vying for prizes in categories such as "most stylish," "most bonkers" and "best Gumball spirit". In Thailand they will be treated to an official government reception while on the final leg of the rally, the drivers will stay at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas where they will be treated to an exclusive performance by rapper Snoop Dogg - as long as he is able to get there following his arrest after he and his minders went on the rampage at Heathrow airport on Wednesday. The cars will then take the chequered flag in Rodeo Drive in LA and will celebrate at a closing party hosted by Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion on Sunday 7 May.

The rally, which has branched out into a lifestyle brand producing fashion lines, a record label, film and publishing companies, started in 1999 and last year three million people took to the streets in 13 countries to watch it, adds the LES. Organiser Maximillion Cooper said: "Organising the rally takes just over a year and there are so many exciting elements to it.

8th Gumball 3000 Rally - Itinerary