After spending the final eight years with Czech producers, Aleš Loprais has switched to IVECO for the Rallye du Maroc and 2025 Dakar Rally. He’ll drive an IVECO PowerStar ready by Group de Rooy underneath the InstaTrade Loprais Group De Rooy FPT banner.
Loprais had lengthy been related to Tatra because of his late uncle Karel, with whom he made his Dakar début in 2006, earlier than racing with Praga from 2020 to 2024 with a finest end of second within the Truck class on the newest version. Even then, he’s no stranger to IVECO or the de Rooys as he entered the 2016 Dakar with them, solely to retire after the primary stage.
Whereas his Praga, nicknamed “Woman”, has been dependable and quick, Loprais is reluctant about modifying the truck to adjust to new FIA guidelines for 2025. Such a course of can take years to excellent, which was unappealing for somebody within the prime of his profession. Loprais led the 2023 Dakar earlier than withdrawing on account of a deadly accident, then broke via with the runner-up in 2024.
He hopes to proceed racing Woman at different occasions just like the Morocco Desert Problem and Africa Eco Race.
“We would wish to make in depth modifications to the truck in keeping with new rules, together with decreasing its weight,” Loprais defined. “Extra necessary, as a way to be on the prime, we must fully overhaul the gas injection system from a pump-jet to widespread rail, which most of our rivals use. That will take no less than three to 4 years of high-priced growth, ideally with manufacturing unit help. Whereas that will be fascinating, at this level in my profession, I don’t need to spend my finest racing years experimenting at Dakar as an alternative of utilizing my expertise to realize the outcomes I’ve dreamed of.
“I want to thank the Praga automobile firm for a number of years of beneficiant help and great mutual relations, which don’t change even now once we are every going in several instructions. I want them, with all my coronary heart, that their Praga Bohema hypercar succeeds on the earth of supercars.”
A reunion with Tatra was briefly entertained however Loprais famous “we couldn’t attain an settlement for now.” Group de Rooy reached out to him throughout negotiations, explaining they have been keen to construct him a brand new truck. The Dutch outfit entered three vehicles on the 2024 Dakar for defending winner Janus van Kasteren (completed fourth), Michiel Becx (fifth), and Anja Van Loon (twelfth), and still have an alliance with Eurol Rally Sport, whose Mitchel van den Brink joined Loprais on the rostrum through a 3rd.
The brand new partnership additionally comes with a group overhaul as David Křípal replaces Jaroslav Valtr Jr. as co-driver whereas Bernard der Kinderen takes over from Jiří Stross as mechanic. Křípal had been the navigator within the Final class for Tomáš Ouředníček, who completed thirty-ninth on the 2024 Dakar, whereas der Kinderen served the identical function for Loprais on the 2015 Rallye du Maroc and 2016 Dakar.
“After this 12 months’s Dakar, I significantly thought-about taking a break from racing to deal with different actions,” Křípal started. “Aleš made me a suggestion, and it was one of many few choices associated to Dakar that also appealed to me.
“It doesn’t scare me in any respect. Quite the opposite, I’m excited. With a automobile, I already knew what to anticipate and what could be sufficient, however I don’t know what to anticipate from the truck so I’ve to step out of my consolation zone and actually work onerous on endurance, strengthening my core, again, and neck. I’m approaching my preparations as if it have been my first Dakar. I believe my bodily and psychological preparation is now on a very completely different stage in comparison with the previous few years.”
The trio will start driving their new PowerStar within the Netherlands in late September earlier than heading to Morocco for additional testing. The Rallye du Maroc is scheduled for six–11 October, whereas the 2025 Dakar Rally runs on 3–17 January. InstaTrade Loprais Group may even discipline a restored Tatra 815 Puma, with which Karel Loprais gained the Dakar 3 times on the flip of the millennium, on the adjoining Dakar Basic.
