Anja Van Loon and her husband Erik Van Loon will return to Saudi Arabia in 2025, albeit with some twists. Whereas the previous will likely be within the now-familiar confines of a truck contesting the Dakar Rally, the latter will make his début within the Dakar Traditional as the driving force of an Audi S1.
Erik raced the Dakar Rally from 2009 to 2023 with a greatest end of fifth in 2015. His thirteenth and ultimate begin in 2023 started with a second-place end in Stage #2 earlier than retiring with a rollover 5 legs later. Though he continues to run rally raids right now, the Dakar is just too bodily demanding for him to proceed.
In distinction, the Dakar Traditional is a navigation-based rally that makes use of automobiles constructed earlier than 1999, which means there may be considerably much less stress and bodily toll. His Audi S1 is being ready by Coen Donkers, a fellow Dutchman who competes in historic rallies and the Goodwood Competition of Velocity in Audi duplicate automobiles. Donkers and Audi Sport Veghel are additionally constructing Dakar Traditional challengers for native drivers like Hans Stacey, the 2007 Dakar Rally Truck winner.
“The Dakar Traditional is a regularity rally the place the main focus will not be on pace however on the expertise and driving by way of Saudi Arabia,” commented Erik. “Anja will likely be driving the truck once more and I will likely be there anyway so I discover it enjoyable to take part. This fashion, I can nonetheless help her and likewise see a number of the nation. I’ll do that with an Audi S1, which I examined final week in France, and it’s simply quite a lot of enjoyable to drive. Coen Donkers is constructing the automotive and can construct a number of extra for another former Dakar individuals from the world, so we have now a pleasant group collectively.”
After ending fourteenth in T3 (now Challenger) at her first Dakar Rally in 2023, Anja switched to an IVECO truck for the 2024 version. She led an all-female staff with Flooring Maten and Marije van Ettekoven as co-driver and mechanic, the primary truck crew composed of strictly girls since 2004. Racing for Staff de Rooy, she completed twelfth at school with a greatest stage end of ninth twice in Levels #5 and #7.
For 2025, nonetheless, she expects to have a co-ed staff and defined, “I don’t know but precisely what that may appear to be when it comes to composition. In any case, it won’t be with three girls.”
Though retired from the Dakar, Erik continues to make sporadic rallly begins in varied Bajas and World Rally-Raid Championship rounds in a Can-Am Maverick for South Racing. He and Anja will race Mavericks within the upcoming Morocco Desert Problem on 11–20 April.
