Dakar is already behind the door and there is nothing else being talked about among the trucks, other than that the absence of Kamaz offers an extraordinary opportunity for others who could not otherwise fight against the Russian convoy. Kamazes reliably secured the top ranks with their speed and, above all, their strategy. “Last year – or actually this year – we proved to ourselves and others that we can fight with them,” says Martin Macík, who won two stages in a row. The Russian team will not participate in the competition due to sanctions imposed on it after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
So is Dakar 2023 going to win? “To say anything like that would be blasphemy,” Macík grabs his head. “We all know how it is in Dakar, anything can happen at any time. Of course I want to win, but that’s what everyone wants. But let’s say that we are going there with the highest ambitions, as well as several other crews.’
Together with his traditional crew consisting of navigator František Tomášek and mechanic David Švanda, Martin Macík Jr. is preparing for Dakar 2023. “We live for Dakar and now we are completing a very nutritious season. We work from morning to night to get everything done,” explains Macík about the current events in the team. “The next Dakar and the entire following season I will ride as a factory driver for our MM Technology brand, under which we develop racing trucks. And at the same time in the colors of the new general sponsor.”
News in the team
A new sponsor means new colors. “When Čenda first arrived painted orange, it looked like we were going to the garbage can. The rear tires were missing, so it also had running boards and looked perfect. Now after gluing the black elements, logos and complete design, it is even more beautiful. But design is only part of what is happening now, technology is still being worked on. However, since the recent return from the successful Rally du Maroc, the mechanics have been improving the car mainly on the technical side – according to the documents and data they obtained during the Moroccan race. The work will end just before departure for Marseille, where the Dakar organizers will take over the cars.”
Four trucks built by MM Technology will compete in the upcoming Dakar. In addition to Martin Čenda, Nicias will also go for Project 2030 with pilot Kees Koolen. The next iron in the Dakar fire will be Arnošt, with whom the Firemen Dakarteam will present themselves in Saudi Arabia. Claudio Bellina from the Italtrans Racing team will start in a completely new truck named Jenda, which is the twin of the Čenda.
“The Italian team already has Vincenzo from us, who was also supposed to go to the Dakar, but his pilot had to cancel his participation due to health reasons,” adds Macík. MM Technology mechanics will provide a complete service for everyone, except Firemen Dakarteam members, who will partially manage the assistance themselves. The competitors, riding in special cars built in Sedlčany, will therefore also share a common bivouac at the Dakar. Individual crews fight for the best position on the track, but at the same time they are ready to help each other. They will be secured by four service trucks, crammed with spare parts and other mechanics’ equipment.
On the road to victory
“The fact that we will have more cars there will of course allow us certain strategic options,” says Macík openly. “But another Iveca is driving, Renault is driving, Hinomoto has a brand new hybrid truck which, if it works, will easily drive in the top five, and Aleš Loprais will definitely want to show off, and Buggyra and Valtro can easily be considered the dark horse of the race. Anything can happen, but we will do everything to make Dakar 2023 a success.”
Foto: MM Photography
Martin Macík jr.’s crew will go to Dakar 2023 in new colors, but with valuable experience and a hunger for victory
The upcoming edition of the Dakar will also be different in that the race will be longer. There are fourteen stages in total, and David Castera, the head of the competition, is already warning that he expects a significantly higher number of dropouts than in previous years. “I’m used to long Dakars and they suit me,” Macík is happy. “Of course, it is and will be different, the forces of people and technology must be distributed differently, but for us it is probably a plus. We drive in military mode, i.e. wake-up call, crossing, start, destination, crossing, media duties, dinner and sleep, the mechanics take care of the technology, often until the morning. We go day by day and have a strong background, that will be our advantage.”
You will learn first-hand at Garage about how Macík will succeed in the Dakar without Kamaz. The author of the article is again going directly to Saudi Arabia with Martin Prokop’s team, so look forward to the Dakar special.
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