Dakar starts with three trucks from Židovice

3.1.2021

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The famous Dakar started its 43rd edition. On Saturday, the crews had an introductory prologue and then a ceremonial start, during which three Židovice trucks from the MKR Technology workshop, with Daniel Kozlovský from Roudnice on board, also appeared in the spotlight. From Sunday, real racing tests will begin and the competition will start in full swing.

"The mood in the team is perfect. The result of the prologue was as expected, but it does not mean anything at all. We are glad to know that the trucks are in top condition and we will do our best to make it to the finish line. But there is a very difficult and long journey to get there and we have to focus on every day," said Mario Kress, head of the MKR Technology team, who prepared Renault Trucks racing special trucks for Dutch drivers Gert Huzink, Pascal de Baar and Martin van den Brink. Martin is accompanied by on-board technician Daniel Kozlovský from Roudnice.

Before the trio presented themselves at the ceremony, which lacked its spectators this time due to strict sanitary rules, the crews raced the separate 11-kilometer prologue ceremony. However, it only determined the order of the start for Sunday's 1^st stage. Belarus pilot Viazovich with MAZ tackled the initial test in the fastest time. Gert Huzink as the pilot of the only hybrid special truck in the competition finished seventh with a loss of only fourteen seconds. His partner from the Dutch team Riwald Dakar Pascal de Baar just squeezed into top ten. Martin van den Brink from Mammoet Rallysport with Kozlovský from Roudnice also on board was classified fourteenth. "Martin is driving a brand new car. He doesn't try to push it too hard at the beginning, he drives smart. Compared to Sherpa, this C is lighter, faster, more agile, so at first they try to get to know each other as much as possible, but no one is nervous. On the contrary, I am happy for this myself, because any unnecessary mistake can mean a big loss and both me and Martin have no need for that," said Daniel Kozlovský, technician of the MKR Technology team.

On Sunday, the crews will have the first stage from Jeddah to Bisha, with a total length of almost three hundred and fifty kilometers. The timed section is almost two hundred and eighty kilometers. The introductory part will be difficult to navigate and hard stony sections will bring a risk of punctures.

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