Manuel Andújar solely wanted one race to show that he can win in a side-by-side car, however that was as a co-driver. In September, he’ll see if he can repeat the feat on the left-side seat.
Andújar will make his début as an SSV driver on the Campeonato Argentino de Rally Raid‘s (CaNav Rally Raid) Rally Raid San Rafael, the place he’s slated to drive a Can-Am Maverick R with Sergio Lafuente as his navigator. It will likely be his second go in an SSV after he referred to as the pictures for Juan Cruz Yacopini on the Rally Raid San Juan in June, the place they gained.
He’s amongst many Quad riders who made the swap to SSVs following the information that their class has been dropped from the Dakar Rally from 2025 onwards. Andújar had claimed what turned out to be the ultimate Dakar for his class in January, his second triumph after 2021, earlier than clinching the World Rally-Raid Championship for Quads on the Desafío Ruta 40 in June.
The Argentine had contemplated a sabbatical from rally raids after profitable the W2RC, however the alternative to race alongside his pal Yacopini in San Juan got here up and was too good to refuse.
Lafuente is presently the navigator for SSV driver Rebecca Busi within the W2RC. Like Andújar, he was a Quad rider previous to switching to vehicles, profitable the DR 40 thrice in addition to three Dakar phases.
Juraj Varga, additionally Quad-to-SSV migrant, ran his first race within the class ultimately weekend’s Hungarian Baja. Pablo Copetti, Rodolfo Guillioli, and former Dakar winners Josef Macháček, Ignacio Casale, and Sergei Kariakin are additionally amongst those that have made such a transition, whereas 2023 champion Laisvydas Kancius is now a navigator within the premier Final class.
Ready by Andújar’s 7240 Crew, the Maverick R is the most recent side-by-side from BRP and touted as the highest such car out there at this time. It has loved loads of success on the American desert racing aspect, and has additionally seen robust performances in numerous cross-country rallies globally regardless that it’s not set to be homologated by the FIA for W2RC competitors till 2025.
The fourth and penultimate spherical of the 2024 CaNav season, the San Rafael Rally Raid runs on 6–8 September.
