They say the third time will come. And that’s what they’re after Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz in Dakar 2024. In his third year with Audiin possibly the last edition of the German firm’s ambitious and complex technological project of electric motorization before leaving the world’s toughest race, Carlos wants to finish his efforts with training based on Neuburg with his room’touareg‘, they all have different brands after increasing in number king of the desert in 2010 with Volkswagen, in 2018 with Peugeot and in 2020 with Mini. now, He is looking for his fourth Dakar, this time in Audi, something that will undoubtedly be even more special since it is the first in history for a car with an electric motor. And above all, for coming after more than three years of hard work to develop a car with such complex technology, with thousands of sensors and with more weight than its rivals, a car that when the idea was proposed to him, he thought it was about Science fiction”. Audi made it a reality and after two Dakars of experience for the prototype, they wanted to win.
In 2022, at the premiere of his Audi RS Q e-Tron, the car arrived in time to start, but a general problem with the roadbook on the first day left many participants without options, including Carlos. In addition, previous tests are missing and the car weighs 200 kilograms more than rivals. Despite this, Sainz kicked off this electrified challenge with two stage wins that spoke volumes for his car’s speed and his future options. A year later, in 2023, the four-ring firm worked overtime to reduce weight and improve the car with refined aerodynamics. However, according to Carlos, the FIA regulations, which limited the Audi’s power, still favor the top category of combustion cars, as the Audi continues to weigh about 100 kilograms more than the Toyota and Prodrive, but it couldn’t do it. counter it with potential benefits.
In fact, halfway through the rally, the FIA awarded 8kW (10.75 hp) more than the Audi. However, some problems suffered in stage 3 complicated things and Carlos ended up in abandonment after suffering a serious accident in a cut dune, in stage 9.
“The athlete always gets up, always tries to find the new opportunity and those who have that attitude always think positive and always have another chance. In the end they will remember you for being a better or worse driver, but I also “I want to be remembered as a tough, hardworking, patient person who gave everything to try to achieve success.” And Carlos, who is patient like few others, wants to keep working hard and will lead to his fourth title in Dakar next January 2024.
“We don’t know if this is the last for Audi”
In 2024, Carlos Sainz faces with renewed enthusiasm what could be his last edition of the Dakar with Audi. “The third year is important. We don’t know, but it could be Audi’s last, it hasn’t been decided yet. And knowing that, we put a lot of enthusiasm and desire into it. When this very complex three-year project started ago, in a car that seems like science fiction… we won stages, battles, and I hope we can fight for victory until the end,” said the native of Madrid.
“There have been amazing moments in my career, I have many flashes of an immense sporting life like my first victory in Calafat, and in difficult moments, many, emotional and physical, others because of fate is not on my side, but always thinking. that the best is yet to come. This occasion will not be different. I am 100% focused on Dakar 2024. All positive energy is thinking about January 5 (start of Dakar 2024 ), not from today, but from the last Dakar when we had to withdraw,” he added.
This could be Carlos Sainz’s last Dakar
This may also be Sainz’s last edition as a driver before he retires. As for the driver’s future, nothing has been ruled out and the decision rests solely with Sainz.
“Nobody knows about Audi. And it seems wise to me that whatever its decision is, it was made after the Dakar. And I don’t know my future. All the energy is in the Dakar. When the rally is over there will be time to -study how the race went, how I felt physically, how competitive I was, and answer the questions that everyone should be asking themselves at this point. When the rally is over, I will ask myself the all those things and will know if in the end the balance falls on the side of I want to try again because I have all the necessary motivation, etc. I will look in the mirror and answer myself. But on the other hand, I have earned the right to respect any decision, if I decide to continue with another project if there is another project, or if I decide to stop. At that moment I will ask for understanding in advance.”
For now, with doubts about the future of the Madrid native, the 61-year-old Spaniard will tackle his 17th Dakar. This will be done in an Audi that by regulation will have 15kW (20 HP) more power compared to its main rivals, but it will continue to weigh 100 kg more than its competitors.
The greater weight means that the components have to endure more in terms of reliability, and driving changes as they will need to brake before their rivals. But for Carlos, this change in regulations makes things more equal in a Dakar where he does not consider that in the two previous editions he competed on equal terms.
“If you look at your newspaper archive, you will see that in the first year I complained about running with a car 100 kg heavier than your sports enemies, and with less power, something that later has become equal power, it seems impossible. , like crashing into a wall. The first law of the machine is the weight of electricity. I made it all clear from the first minute and thank God the telemetry proved me right. Last year we started with less power and 100 kg more weight. We They gave a little more power (in the middle of the rally) but with about 100 kg more. And now, they give us 15 kW more, so it pays off a little bit and we go to more equal conditions and don’t have to take the risks that we took in the first years to get there. “If you take a lot of risk in the Dakar, there are always traps that will catch you,” he said. Carlos wants to win.
All responses from the press conference:
ACCIDENT IN 2023 AND ITS RECOVERY
“Thank God everything went well. Coming back from Dakar I was able to recover well. After 4 months I was in Saudi Arabia and testing, then in the summer with more tests and preparations, and happy me, it didn’t influence me at all. I was able to work well physically and I had no sequelae.
WILL BRING MESSAGES FROM FANS IN THE CAR
“I have always felt a lot of love and support from people. And carrying these messages sent to us by all the people will help us and push us to climb some dunes that cost us a little. We’ll bring about 1,000 phrases, including from my kids and my husband.”
YOUR MENTALITY
“The athlete always gets up, always tries to find the new opportunity and those who have that attitude always think positive and always have another chance. In the end they will remember you for being a better or worse driver, but I also “I want to be remembered as a tough, hardworking, patient person who gave everything to try to achieve success.”
“There have been amazing moments in my career, flashes of an immense sporting life like my first victory in Calafat, and in difficult moments, many, emotional and physical, others because fate is not in side, but always think that the best is yet to come. It has come. This occasion will not be different. I am 100% focused on Dakar 2024. All positive energy is thinking about January 5 (the start of Dakar 2024), not from now, but from the last Dakar when “We had to withdraw.”
SUSPENSION OF IMPROVEMENTS
“This is the best Audi in years. Last year the suspensions gave us some heads. of reliability. It was not an easy year because everything did not go well in Morocco. But we are confident that all the races and tests we did, that you close the circle and we will have a good Dakar.”
WHY DON’T THEY ADD WEIGHT TO THEIR RIVALS INSTEAD OF GIVING POWER TO THE AUDI?
“Driving a heavier car, even if you pay for more power, is always more unpleasant, more difficult to tune up and parts suffer more than lighter ones. I think that when the situation appears if we give more weight to the others or we give more power to the Audi… and we also have very clear tables to see how the extra weight is compensated in relation to the power… I think not it’s compensation and that’s where the discussion and the result should go.”
THE ROADBOOK
“The good news is that last year’s roadbook is back to what we know and without the absurdities and lottery situations.”
THIS IS NOT TRANSITION DAKAR
“I don’t consider it to be a year of transition. Dacia’s future car will be the Prodrive car that will make an evolution of the current one. Audi does not know what will happen. And there is the arrival of Ford, and Pinadalhan I give it a big hug and it’s a great achievement to be in an official team at the start of the Dakar. Toyota will have experienced drivers like De Villiers and Al-Rajhi and strengthened by young drivers like Moraes , who was third last year, and with Seth Quintero.. .and more and more T1+. It will be more difficult, but I always believe that between Al-Attiyah, Loeb, Petrhansel, Ekström and the Toyotas… that’s where the rally winner should come from.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
