Vladimir Chagin: “The Silk Way Rally wants to return to Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China. They are waiting for us there”

– Off-road leader Vladimir Vasiliev was in danger of losing top spot on Wednesday, but his mechanics replaced the gearbox in the middle of the highway in 45 minutes. The rider himself called this day heroic. Do you agree?

— Rally-raids are not just a race for drivers and navigators. Often the team mechanics also take part. It happens that cars arrive at the bivouac in a destroyed state after an accident, and there the question arises: will the equipment be restored overnight? And the mechanics don’t sleep – they work and put the car back together so that the crew can continue to race and be on the podium. It’s a team effort, the mechanics can also be heroes, like the guys from Vladimir.

– Do you remember your most difficult repair in your racing career?

— There were many such cases, especially in the 1990s and zero, when KAMAZ-master was going through a period of training, we learned how to make cars. One of the most brilliant episodes was the Dakar in 2005, where we were at the top of the truck classification. If I’m not mistaken, on the eighth day of racing we had a gas seal between the cylinder block and the cylinder head.

We stopped as the temperature started to rise – the antifreeze leaked. We think: This is most likely a rally, as coolant is circulating through the engine block. But we decided to fight, to try to restore the car. They quickly removed and disassembled the upper part of the engine, removed the cylinder head, it is seen that the gasket was broken. And this, by the way, is a 2.5 mm thick steel ring. And we don’t have a spare, because such a defect has never happened. What to do? All around us, there is sand and stones, and nothing else! We started walking around the truck, looking for metal thick enough to cut through the gasket. Find. It was a 90 degree bent fuel filler door. That is to say a sheet of metal folded in half measuring 25 by 20 centimeters. And we only have metal scissors with us – try cutting 2.5mm thick iron with them! And we cut that joint one by one with the whole crew. In the end, succeeded, put in place and tightened. And you need to understand one more thing: at the place of inflection, the structure of the metal has changed. But the main thing is that the car went to the bivouac, and we ended up finishing on the Dakar. It just demonstrates the technical mind, the desire to be at the finish line, the ability to quickly find the right solution.

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— How did you choose such an itinerary of the Silk Road?

We start work for next year in August-September. We had many options, we looked in all regions for the presence of the necessary conditions for the course: forests and vegetation in the fields, rivers and reservoirs, steppe and semi-desert landscapes. The race must not only take place on the forest path, the participants must also surpass themselves, navigation is necessary for the crews.

The southern and central parts of Russia are more suitable for rally raids. Last year, new regions were introduced to participants – the foothills of the Caucasus, Dagestan and Chechnya, and this year – the foothills of the Urals, Orenburg, Samara and other cities. We are warmly welcomed in each region, the participants are encouraged by such attention before the start of difficult stages.

“Was it difficult to agree on the solemn arrival of the gathering in Red Square at this time?”

We all understand the situation we find ourselves in. The safety of all rally participants and our guests is a top priority. The entire race is run under this motto. I am glad that the decision of the leadership in Moscow and the office of the commander of the Kremlin was positive. The Silk Way should end in the heart of the Fatherland – on Vasilevsky Spusk near the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. Many participants will be there for the first time and this event will remain etched in their memory for the rest of their lives. The Silk Road is an important event for our country. Look how beautiful and massive the start was in Kazan. And what is important are foreign runners who participate in the competition, who will take this experience home.

– Has there ever been a threat that the 2023 race will not take place or that the course will be seriously changed?

– No. All security measures are respected, we are in close contact with all services.

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— Rally raids are associated, among other things, with sands and dunes. In Russia, although the country is huge, such conditions are not easy to find …

– Yes, there will be sand in Volgograd for a day. But we cannot deliver them to Bashkortostan or the Orenburg region. Where there is sand, we try to run there. But besides the sands, there are other landscapes that interest riders. Our country is perfect for rally-raids, even without going abroad.

China opened its borders after the pandemic. Is the return of the rally to China possible?

— Of course, we will consider China. In September we have to make a decision on the 2024 race, and in November we have to make a presentation of the route. Today we think about it. The political situation is such that it is currently very difficult to plan a race in September for July next year. Yes, we want to go back to Mongolia, Kazakhstan, China. We are waiting there. But there are many circumstances beyond our control.

— Are foreign runners afraid that if they decide to participate in the Silk Road, they will be denied access to other competitions?

“There is such a thing. And not just in motorsport. We corresponded with many runners and called them, they would like to come to Russia on the Silk Road. They say: “Vladimir, unfortunately, at the moment we cannot be with you, you completely understand everything.” Therefore, we are all waiting for the day when everything will be as before, when, without any restrictions, we will visit each other for competitions.

— Chinese driver Hou Hongning claims fifth place in the truck standings. Surprised by the rider’s performance?

— In 2016, they had already taken fifth place. I’m happy with the way Hou Hongning rides with his navigator Shen Xin, their pace and their speed. They work reliably and show good results. Chinese athletes are very tenacious, they learn quickly. The driver takes care of the car, quickly gets used to it. Crew mechanic Sergei Krenev doesn’t know Chinese and our Chinese friends don’t know Russian, but the language of friendship leads them to the finish line in Red Square. And it’s nice to hear Hou Hongning talking about constantly suggesting Chinese riders come to the Silk Road.

— The contract with the general partner PJSC Gazprom is valid until 2024. Are there negotiations to extend it?

— It’s true, now there is a three-year agreement. But it is too early to talk about discussing a new contract – we will start talking about further cooperation in 2024. It is important to understand that this issue will also depend on the financial capabilities of PJSC Gazprom, their strategic line in terms of supporting sport, charity, etc. I wish the company success in business and further development of Russian sport.