With Argentina and Chile celebrating their bicentennial anniversaries what better way to start the party than staging the Dakar Rally? With scrutineering out of the way, the drivers and their support casts mingled with the crowd of fans at La Rural Exhibition Centre.
With the turning of the year comes the main event as a total of 151 bikes, 25 quads, 134 cars and 52 trucks have now ticked the necessary boxes to set off from Buenos Aires’ iconic Obelisco today.
The drivers and co-drivers of the 129 cars revving up for the Dakar will be fully aware of the quintuplet they must beat. The crews of the five Volkswagen Touaregs, all among the favourites to win this year’s car class, unwound at the Red Bull Energy Station after tackling the scrutineers.
Last year’s winner Giniel De Villiers of South Africa and his German co-pilot Dirk Von Zitzewitz are the proud owners of car number 300 for the 2010 Dakar. In the Dakar, the number holds the same association with success as the yellow jersey does in the Tour de France or the number one in Formula One. The digits commands respect. De Villiers however knows he needs more than respect to reclaim his title. Winning two Dakars on the trot is a feat that would have even the Spartans quaking in their race boots.
The reigning champ gave fans at the Red Bull Energy Station an insight into the VW tactics for the Dakar as every member of the ten strong team showed up for an autograph session. “There are no team orders and there is no number one. Personally I think that’s great. Of course if any of us came here to race for third or fourth then we would be better off staying at home. The goal is victory.” De Villiers said.
As well as the return of the legendary Carlos Sainz with his countryman Lucas Cruz plus last year’s top 10 finisher Mark Miller of the United States and his co-pilot South African Ralph Pitchford, the Volkswagen team have handed debuts to two further pairs.
Nassar Al-Attiyah of Qatar will be assisted by German Timo Gottschalk in his VW Touareg while Maurico Jose Neves will drive alongside Clecio Maestrelli giving the fifth car a little Brazilian flair.
“The expansion of the team does not change my approach to the Dakar. Carlos, Mark and I already get along really well. There is no reason why things would not go just as well with two new drivers,” added De Villiers.
Beyond his team-mates, the South African admitted he did see other threats to his crown. “I think the BMW X3 will be much more dangerous for us this year compared with last year. Stéphane Peterhansel is in a much better place to go for victory this time around. As a team our biggest fight will be against them.” The current champ warned.
Of course, talk is cheap at this stage of the Dakar and De Villiers will be looking to make far more pronounced statements when he tears along the downtown Buenos Aires street of 9 de Julio today.
Daily Dakar Daiquiri Moment: Two tongues do battle for the Chery
As the Chinese press flocked to the two Chery teams who will compete in the car class they stumbled upon one of the 2010 Dakar’s most intriguing tongue twisters. The interviews with Chinese driver Yaohuan Jiang and his Belgian co-pilot Marc Bartholome had a slightly one-sided feel.
This is because Yaohuan Jiang speaks only his native language, forcing his navigator to cram up on his Mandarin ahead of the race. Bartholome admits to having perfected about 40 words which he thinks are the essential racing terms. Let’s hope that the Belgium doesn’t get his 左邊 confused with his 右邊 or it could be an early end for the car representing the first ever Chinese brand to enter the Dakar.
To coincide with the start of the Dakar, the government-owned Chery Automobile will launch their new X5 model back home on New Year’s Day.
Well that’s enough chat for now, there’s a bunch of Brazilians celebrating New Year’s Eve downstairs and it would be rude not to wish them a quick Feliz Ano Novo!
For more race info, check the official Dakar Rally website, the Volkswagen Motorsport site or Twitter along with Mark Miller.
iPhone users can also follow all the Dakar action with Volkswagen Motorsport’s free Dakar Rally app.
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