MRK to get tested in the tough stages of Libya Rally
13.4.2016
For the first time since the legendary Dakar MKR Technology‘s truck is going to leave Židovice for another competition. Morocco is hosting the Libya Rally and the Renault Trucks special is going to be piloted by the Dutch pilot Martin van den Brink there. This time the goal is clear – to test new components to the greatest possible extent and get ready for the Russian Silk Way Rally that takes place in July.
Following the incident when his truck literally burnt to the ground Martin van den Brink is coming back to the racing arena. Naturally, he is more than excited, but this time his personal result and ambition must give way to other aspects. “We can never say that we race merely to participate. That would go against the basic idea of racing, yet this time it is not the finish that we‘re going to focus on. Since the Dakar we have changed a lot of things and now we need to put them under proper test. The newly tested components are going to help us build a new truck, whose construction is in full swing,“ commented Mario Kress, boss of MKR Technology and author of the MKR Adventure project.
The North Bohemia based team, who are flying to Africa this Wednesday, is planning to concentrate on various settings of the turbo and chassis as well as changes to the axles and, above all, the brake system. The racing truck including technology set off to Morocco last week. “Of course we‘re curious. Technically, this is going to be the first real test since the Dakar. We were successful there, but the rally also learnt us a few tough lessons, so there are still many things we need to work on and the Libiya Rally is simply another stop on the way of development. One day we want to triumph at the Dakar with that truck,“ revealed Mario Kress.
Official programme of the Libya Rally starts this Thursday with technical handovers. Afterwards, seven days of rough racing await. This year the rally has modified its strategy somewhat, moving towards a more modern, and more demanding, cross-country style. This time the participants will have to face seven completely different stages, seven bivouacs and seven different areas. The crews are going to cross Morocco from the south to the north. In total, they are going to tackle two thousand seven hundred kilometers that will start in Agadir and finish in Saidia next Thursday 21 April, riding from the Atlantic Ocean to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. “I dare say that it‘s going to be one perfect exam, similar to the Paris-Dakar rally in the old days. Our special will have to endure fast tracks as well as technical stages, wide African planes, sand dunes and salt lakes. We can‘t wait!“ added the always determined chief constructor Mario Kress.
