Sainz, in the opinion of Al-Attiyah: “I will not answer him”

He was not one of the main characters of the press conference before the beginning of Dakar (starting this Saturday with the 12.5 km prologue stage, qualifying for stage 1 on Sunday). Carlos Sainz He was having dinner in the Audi tent after a busy day. In the morning he performs the necessary checks on the car in ‘shakedown‘, to do the final checks and start warming up the engines. Later, come back to sea ​​camp (Sea Camp), the Spaniard went to the circuit where the prologue will take place to do a few laps on his bike and try to memorize it. All this, after the organization said at the last minute that the notes could not be taken from the track, something which Carlos and his co-pilot Lucas Cruz, they threw “two hours in the trash”. However, that didn’t make her smile or feel uneasy. Once he had dinner, although it was not planned, he did not refuse to attend the Spanish press, including MD, to talk about his feelings before the most difficult event in the world. Of course, he was asked the words of Al Attiyah, who said his “big battle is with Loeb” and not with Carlos Sainz. He did not want to respond to the first psychological attack from his great Qatari opponent. He preferred to be happy how ‘Monsieur Dakar’his partner at Audi Stephane Peterhanselassured in the press conference held this Friday in the central square of the bivouac, that Audi “has the car to win the Dakar 2023”.

Al-Attiyah said his biggest rival is Loeb this Dakar 2023

“Well, very good.”

Peterhansel is sure that Audi has the car to win

“I will not say one thing or the other. I will not answer Al-Attiyah… If Peterhansel said, I think he is a person who I think is prudent and should respect what he says in Dakar. If he said it, I’m glad he said it. I’m not going to say anything. I want to wait and see you. I’m not going to comment anymore because I honestly don’t even know, first, where we’re going, and second, it’s a long rally and whatever happens. But I prefer to think of Stéphane (Peterhansel), that we will fight to win. But from fighting to win to winning, it’s a long way.

last day of waiting

“It was quite a busy day, as we left early to shakedown the car, we came back at 3:00 pm and had quite a lot to do. Then I saw the prologue (from this Saturday, he biked to see it) and it was a day that went by faster than it usually does the day before the start of the race. The fact of being here (in ‘Sea Camp’ and not in a hotel) seems like the rally started a few days ago. It’s not like when you’re in a hotel and check out and leave. It was an experience in that sense that I liked in relation to other years”.

The Prologue Tour

“They went through a machine on a completely flat space and they went through doing a similar route. In the end they wouldn’t let us take notes. Yesterday we made rally notes that we had to throw away. It’s a shame then because it’s good for us to make notes and take them with us. It’s a hard path to learn because it’s all very similar. You have no references and it’s a flat site, marked of a machine and had some tapes. It was hard to memorize. We wasted some time making notes because you have to ride a bicycle, and make some notes on a bicycle… well, two hours wasted and that’s why I came for a few rides on my bike to try to memorize it instead of taking notes. Yesterday I didn’t try to memorize it, just to take notes.”

“A rally course? (laughs) It’s a machine that goes through a field and makes a route. This is not a rally or anything”.

Desired position to start stage 1

Last year we were second in the prologue. This is a foreword of sand, sand, the length, about 20 km, which has nothing to do with this person. Last year we were second and decided to start ninth. Nasser won and chose to start 10th. Anything that doesn’t start in front, 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th, is fine by me.

Focus of the first week

“I will go out like I always go out in Dakar. There is no strategy.”

used to be calm

“I am very calm, happy and looking forward to the time that it starts to enjoy and try to have fun, which is what I went to, try to have fun, and win, of course, but to have fun, have fun. Dakar, without too much suffering, a Dakar where we can be there making a clean day, more or less. Last year it was a pitcher of cold water. Working all year so that the first day and saying goodbye to Dakar is a strong drink”.

different end of the year

“The end of the year will be different, because later on we are not used to celebrating like this at home. But last year there was no race the next day but you’re here and you’re not with grapes and stuff. It will be different.”

More toughness in Dakar 2023

“In Dakar I prefer to go every day, I prefer not to think too much, because there are days when they tell you: ‘It will be an easy day, a day of transition’, and then you get of surprises. And the difficult days, which eventually became less difficult. Because we have not been through and we do not know (the route), at any time…. Look last year, in the first stage, somewhere which theoretically shouldn’t be like that and no problem, we walk there for two hours, so imagine. That’s why you have to go every day and try to go through the stages without problems. That’s the goal.”