Martin Macík took care of the best Czech result at the previous Dakar Rally in fourth place among trucks. In January, he will mark the tenth jubilee start at the famous competition and he believes that he will be satisfied again at the finish and will attack his maximum.
“What does the tenth start mean to me? I became a legend,” Macík smiled, pointing to the designations that the organizers assign to all competitors with at least ten starts.
“It’s exceptional, it’s quite enough. I think I can do it a little bit. Increasing Dakars increase your confidence, give you more peace and confidence in the speed at which you want to go,” said Macik.
Central member of the Big Shock team! Racing always wanted to compete with the best at famous rallies, but with increasing experience, he feels more confident.
“For us, the goal has always been to be as fast as possible. It’s one thing to say and commute tenth, another to say and commute first. These are different things. I know how difficult it is to get to win the stage, which we managed to do. I know what to do for it and how fast I can drive with much more peace of mind, “said Macík, who managed to win three stages last year.
He will start at Jeddah on January 1, knowing that he and the entire team have done their best for success.
“We couldn’t do more than we did. We do the maximum every year and we’ve moved a step further again. We know we have great technology, but it’s just technology. Anything can happen. I trust the crew and I don’t know why On the other hand, no one knows that. It’s a lure. on the edge”.
Macík was considering whether to set out on the Dakar with the previous Iveco truck model or with a new evolution. In the end, he decided on an “old” car called Karel.
“I’m not saying I’m going with the old one, but with the tried and tested person. I don’t know how to explain it, but the feeling stuffed me there,” Macik said.
Even if he chose a truck named Arnošt, he wouldn’t have a problem with that. “On the contrary, I envy Martin (Šoltys) a bit, because I know what is better. On the other hand, I decided so, and I stand by my decision,” he said, pointing to the pilot of the second team truck. “It’s a newer generation, but the change isn’t so crucial that a race like the Dakar will decide,” said Macík, adding that the Karel truck had also undergone some improvements.
The team novelty is two cars in the race. “I hope that doesn’t change anything and that Martin won’t follow me in an hour or two. But Dakar is unpredictable and it’s such a certainty. We’ll both run our races, we have an agreement, but I believe we won’t need each other to help and rent half the car. ,” he wished. “But it’s probably going to be calm,” he said.
The 32-year-old pilot assumes that the organizers have prepared more demanding rallies for starters than a year ago. He only regrets that the track does not end up in the fourth largest sandy desert in the world, Rub al-Khali, as originally promised by the organizers.
“I’m annoyed that they didn’t keep what they promised, but it’s the same every year, so it didn’t surprise me,” he said.
He eagerly awaits what the inclusion of the marathon stage without the authorized service of mechanics will bring right at the beginning of the rally. “I don’t know what to think about it at all. I think it will be a bit easier than in the second half, on the other hand, they always put on a marathon stage behind the day off, where the teams put their cars together,” added the Big Shock driver! Racing.
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