Homepage > News
The legendary Dakar Rally will start this weekend. For the first time, the crews will race in Saudi Arabia, where the most prestigious long distance race after nine years in South America is moving. The MKR Technology team also moved to the venue on Friday night. The North Bohemian team of technicians around Mario Kress has prepared a race quartet for the rally, including the world's first hybrid to start in the famous competition.
All four North Bohemian racing trucks from the MKR Technology team have taken part in this spectacular introduction. At the weekend, the quartet of Dakar special trucks showed their full potential during the traditional Preproloog event in Holland. This year was quite different and, in many ways, surpassed earlier years. The event changed venue from autodrome in Valkenswaard to Duynenwater. And this time the fans of the famous rally really got what they wanted. In addition, everyone was thrilled by Kress' first hybrid truck in the world, as it dominated the exhibition race.
The Renault Truck C460 Hybrid Edition has been rigorously tested in recent times by the Riwald Dakar Team and the MKR, the truck's developer. Testing took place last week on a track with a loose sand surface. A few weeks before, there were already a number of test days in France, but on hard fast tracks. The different types of subsurface have been specifically selected by the Riwald Dakar Team to simulate as much as possible the likely stages of Dakar 2020 in Saudi Arabia.
North Bohemian MKR Technology team is arming for Dakar 2020. And this year will be truly extraordinary. For the first time in history, the team will send a quartet of its racing trucks and for the first time ever, a hybrid truck will start at the most prestigious long-distance rally race. This was unveiled by Mario Kress design team last week in Holland in a in a world's première.
The Riwald Dakar Team and Czech partner MKR Technology, have been working hard for months on the development of an entirely new and unique concept; a hybrid off-road truck. The project is supported by partners - ZF Friedrichshafen - Renault Trucks - Hendrickson - AxleTech - Eurol. The Renault Trucks C460 Hybrid Edition was unveiled on Friday 27 September.
First images of secret project of MKR Technology from North Bohemia went round the world. Team chief designer, Mario Kress, has now confirmed that the team is building a brand new special truck for Dakar in their technology centre in Židovice.
It's over! Racing trucks crossed the finish line. This year's Silk Way Rally ends. Only Martin van den Brink, pilot of the North Bohemian Renault from MKR Technology, could compete with the domination of Russian Kamaz trucks. He finished 6th in the last 10th stage on the 6th place and has taken 4th place in overall standings.
Only one stage is left until the end of this year's Silk Way Rally. The penultimate 9th stage, Martin van den Brink, the pilot of the North Bohemian truck, finished in fourth position and is on the same position in the overall standings. This has around five hundred kilometers.
On the weekend, the Silk Way Rally crews moved to China. And there were things happening! In Sunday's 8th stage, the Belarussian leader Viazovich took a tumble and lost his leading position. The North Bohemian truck with Martin van den Brink finished sixth and moved just below the overall podium due to this incident.
The North Bohemian truck from MKR Technology finished just below the podium. Friday's sixth stage of the Silk Way Rally was piloted by Martin van den Brink in the fourth fastest time and continues to rank fifth.
Five was the key number on Thursday the North Bohemian MKR Technology team on the Silk Way Rally. In the 5th stage, the pilot Martin van den Brink arrived fifth and is fifth in the overall standings.
Belarussian riders with MAZ owned the 4th stage of Silk Way Rally. The North Bohemian truck from MKR Technology was hot on their heels, but a pair of punctures slowed down the pilot Martin van den Brink. He reached the finished in eight fastest time.