De Baar has improved again

8.1.2023

Pascal de Baar finished one position better than in the previous day during the 7th stage of the Dakar Rally. The Dutch pilot of a North Bohemian truck from the MKR Technology workshop crossed the finish line in the sixth time.

The organizers had to adjust the program of these days due to heavy rain. Saturday's 7th stage turned into a marathon, when the crews were only allowed a limited intervention by the technicians. They had only two hours for service and repairs, after which the truck had to go to a closed parking lot. And that is why Pascal de Baar chose a more cautious driving style. The 861 kilometer stage from Riyadh to Al Duwadimi awaited the crews. The timed section was only 333 km. This time the route was different for motorbikes and four-wheel drivers , who took a more direct route, while course for cars and trucks was alternating between sand and stones, canyons and dunes. So navigation also played its role. "There is another important part on Sunday, that's why we decided to spare the truck a little," commented the pilot Pascal de Baar, who reached the finish line easily in sixth position, twelve minutes behind the winning compatriot van Kasteren. Adwin Hoondert finished in a quick assist truck finished twelfth. "In addition, Pascal made another good deed when he pulled car of the well-known Dutch showman Tim Coronel, on a rope to the bivouac on three wheels . Tim had a nasty accident in the stage, during which he did several somersaults," the Czech mechanic of the MKR Technology team, Tomáš Sova, gave credit to the pilot .

The race in the truck category is still led by the Czech crew of Aleš Loprais. Hoondert is currently seventeenth, two positions behind him is de Baar.

On Sunday, the whole "circus" returns to Riyadh. In addition to the connecting route of 476 kilometers, the 8th stage includes a special timed section of 346 kilometers. The final stretch on the open plains of the Saudi Arabian desert will give the riders a chance to catch their breath. In the bivouac in Riyadh, there is a chance to recover a little from the first demanding week. On Monday, the long-awaited rest day is on the menu. "From Saturday to Sunday, it will be the first time we get some sleep. It's been an extremely busy week, and it comes in handy before a day off. After all, the day off isn't that off in the end," remarked technician Sova tiredly, but with determination.