Carlos Sainz has loved a legendary profession in off-road racing, having received two World Rally Championships and three Dakar Rallies, amongst many different accomplishments. Now sixty years outdated, he has only one remaining merchandise on his guidelines that he needs to realize earlier than he considers hanging up his helmet: a fourth Dakar Rally victory with as many producers.
“My final massive objective is to win the Dakar with a special model,” stated Sainz whereas talking eventually weekend’s MARCA Sport Weekend. “The problem is of profitable the Dakar for the primary time with an electrical hybrid automotive.”
Sainz received the Dakar Rally in 2010, 2018, and 2020 with Volkswagen, Peugeot, and Mini, respectively. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Volkswagen, Mini, Toyota) and Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Mini) are the one different drivers to win the Rally with three completely different makes, whereas no different driver has achieved it racing for 4; Peterhansel additionally received six Dakar crowns with Yamaha, although in Bikes.
Apart from each threatening to be the primary to finish the feat, Peterhansel and Sainz are team-mates at Audi Sport. Their 2023 Rally was spoiled by wrecks, oddly in the identical space on the similar time in Stage #6 earlier than a second crash three legs later took Sainz out with two fractured vertebrae. Sainz added he’s “significantly better, however I nonetheless have to attend a few months (earlier than driving once more). I can do every thing besides get into the automotive.”
Whereas he has not required surgical procedure to deal with the harm, as an alternative choosing INDIBA radiofrequency remedy, it sidelined him for the 2023 Excessive E season. Mattias Ekström, one other Audi driver, changed him within the ACCIONA | Sainz XE Group automotive; joined by fellow Dakar driver Laia Sanz, the workforce received the second race of the season opener, coincidentally in Saudi Arabia just like the Dakar Rally.
Sainz didn’t affirm for which producer he would race on the Dakar Rally sooner or later, however careworn that “if Audi is there, I’ll be within the Dakar.” The German firm has returned to the drafting board on their rally raid programme after a disastrous 2023 Dakar Rally wherein solely Ekström reached the end and outdoors the highest ten. The workforce’s new Audi RS Q e-tron E2 proved to be fast, profitable a stage with Sainz, however struggled to maintain up with the Toyota Hilux T1+ of Al-Attiyah and Prodrive Hunters even with the FIA executing a controversial “Stability of Know-how” to degree the enjoying area.
“The facility-to-weight ratio on the earth of competitors doesn’t fail and win with extra kilos and fewer energy,” Sainz commented. “Maybe the FIA and ASO have realised that they haven’t handled us very nicely within the final two editions, even relying on Audi to contemplate working the Dakar. I perceive that if they don’t give us the ability that corresponds to us by weight, they may rethink working the Dakar.”
