Hopeful connection. Which of you wouldn’t want to work with a billionaire …?
“Of all the teams, he chose us for the joint project, which is a great honor. Koolen is betting only on the best, “says pilot Martin Macík. The Project 2030 and Italtrans Racing teams already had Iveco trucks built in Sedlčany at this year’s Dakar.
Martin Macik was almost without a navigator! František Tomášek’s daughter wanted to deprive her of DakarVideo: Sport.cz, Big Shock Racing
Last year, Macík won three stages and finished fourth overall among trucks. This year, after problems in the first half of the race and a powerful finish, he reached the final seventh place.
“We are not satisfied with Dakar, but we have made the most of it,” Macík says succinctly after returning home.
This year, he also became “famous” for his media-juicy controversy with Ignáci Casal, the Chilean pilot of the Czech Buggyra ZM Racing team.
After one of the stages, Macík complained that he could have won it if Casale had not blocked it. After reaching the finish line, he went to him and knocked on the door of his cabin, but the owner of the Buggyra, Martin Koloc, defended his pilot and pushed Macík away, later calling him a liar.
You can listen to the opinion of both stables in the attached videos. Paradoxically, Macík’s crew pulled Casale’s sunken truck out of the dunes during the rest of the race.
“Dakar is an ego show. We said everything verbally and I didn’t care about it anymore. “Someone and the tension are among the drivers. Coincidentally, more people saw it, it was useless that it went out. We helped them the next day without thinking. For us there is nothing to make a big story about, “adds navigator František Tomášek.
What did the incident between Ignacio Casal and Martin Macík look like from the point of view of the Buggyra stable?Video: Buggyra Racing
More about the dispute in our videos.
World Cup good preparation
Macík will also be preparing for the next Dakar in the races of the newly established World Rally Rally Championship.
“Five trucks are registered in the T5 category. We’re not going there to collect medals. We want to take the opportunity not to complete only one race a year. We want to improve so that we are well prepared for the next Dakar, “explains the pilot.
Macík’s truck during a dramatic dune crossing.Photo: Big Shock Racing
Next time, the already popular Karel will be replaced by a new truck. “Will you build us a better car so that we can finally race properly in a year?”
It’s not just next year. In Sedlčany, they are also preparing to change the rules and are also preparing a truck with an alternative drive.
“Maybe we will be one of the first to come up with a new concept. We already have the truck drawn and we would like to take it to Africa for testing in June or June. But the problem is in the works in the current covid period, “advises Martin Macík senior.
