Double winner of the Dakar marathon rally, driver of the KAMAZ-master team Dmitry Sotnikov in an interview with , he said that foreign racers admit that without Russians, the truck ranking in the race loses its status.
KAMAZ-master missed the 2023 and 2024 rally marathon due to the inability to sign the International Automobile Federation (FIA) questionnaire condemning the Russian special operation in Ukraine. Signing this document is mandatory for Russian drivers to be authorized to participate in the Dakar.
— Previously, December and January were dedicated to Dakar. Have you managed to get used to the winter holidays?
– More or less. Previously, we made an ice track at home, constantly training, but this time there were no winter tests – we could not prepare good ice cream.
— Did you follow the Dakar?
– Yes. Happy for our friend Martin Macik, I personally congratulated him on his victory. Mitchell van den Brink achieved a good result. We came to Saudi Arabia for several days and watched the race. It was interesting to see how the level of the crews progressed, how they ride on the sand. Unfortunately we haven’t had any training in the sand and dunes this whole time, but we will try to improve.
— Are Europeans bored?
“To my great surprise, we communicated warmly even with those with whom we were not particularly friends. Of course, everyone is disappointed that there is no KAMAZ master at the Dakar; for them, we are a large and authoritative team, whose opinion is listened to, whose word has weight in the world of motorsport.
They also expressed the opinion that without us, the cargo competition in Dakar is becoming a dying class, there is no new momentum for the discipline and it is becoming increasingly difficult. KAMAZ-master helped regulate the rules and set the direction of development of rally raids.
“But the foreigners had the opportunity to win the Dakar.” Do they tactfully keep silent about this fact?
– Yes, they are silent (smiles). But it became even more difficult for them, because without us the competition for prices intensified. Some people asked to participate in the “Silk Road”, they said that they should do this competition in other countries, and then they would have the opportunity to come to the race. Everyone wants to compete, everyone understands everything,” Sotnikov told .
KAMAZ-master crews became winners of the Dakar marathon rally 19 times, a record.
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Source : MatchTV
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