Laia Sanz: “We must always respect the Dakar”

With what baggage did you arrive in Arabia?

With desire and enthusiasm and almost any kilometer of filming, but the goal compared to last year has to be more ambitious. The speed showed us that we can fight for the category even if it is complicated, there are high level people. This is how it will be. Fighting to win, we haven’t done any kilometers yet, but we know the car and I’m ready for the challenge.

Can lack of mileage weigh you down?

The 48 hour period can be positive for us. It seems they want to sift from the very beginning, eliminate the drivers, I think from less to more and in the first days we will notice the lack of kms but fortunately the Dakar is long and has stages to get. sensations. I’m not too worried about this stage, you have to pass it and that’s it, I’m more worried about the issue of punctures, dosing the tires …; This year it’s on mixed terrain and you have to watch. But obviously I prefer to run year-round. However, with the tools we have I think we have options.

How would you rate that at some stage the cars go to one side and the motorcycles to the other?

good good It certainly involved brutality, it was already done in South America, which would complicate navigation for the co-pilots because there was no trace of the motorcycles. I like that it is a navigation Dakar, I am calm in this sense.

It was difficult for you to find sponsors again, wasn’t it?

I have been through this phase with motorcycles and eventually became an official for several brands. The goals are difficult, my challenge is to continue taking baby steps and now is what we have to do, in the end we have to adapt and do our best in the ways we have to open doors in the future.

When you first joined this rally, did you notice that it has changed a lot…?

We no longer race in South America, in Arabia the terrain is a bit different, and on the other hand there are more women, the bivouac atmosphere is different, there are important positions in the teams, it’s nice to see. The test is an adventure, everything has become more professional, there is a higher level, more brands, so I am happy to be there for a year, to have the car that we have.

Has being a speeding driver put your participation in jeopardy?

Now I’m in a new phase, it’s more difficult, the fish bit its tail, I overcame it on motorcycles and I’m sure that the opportunity I’m looking for will come to me, there’s no other choice: work, show up. … I persevere and when It puts something in my head…although it’s true that there are things that don’t depend on me but when it depends on me I go and give my all so that the opportunity comes. will be prepared.

Do you want to run it and experience it in Africa?

Sure, as a child I dreamed of the Dakar, to finish in the Pink Lake, but Arabia is a good place for the Dakar, last year it was more difficult, we missed it a bit and this year they will go to the same line.

Any special relationship with women, Cristina Gutiérrez for example?

We’ve known each other for years, there are a few of us, I get along very well with all of them, it’s nice to see more women being so competitive every year.

How was the experience racing the electric Acciona with Carlos Sainz?

An accelerated study in the world of four wheels. Think about it. An honor. A great way to grow quickly and I think Extreme E saw my evolution. I started as a beginner in the first races, with a lack of experience and ended up getting comfortable and beating some guys. I am proud to have grown with Carlos.

This is his fifteenth Dakay and he has completed all…

Let’s hope it continues like this and this year the streak won’t end. How did I achieve this? The secret is to know myself well and not exceed the limits, have a good head, navigate well, being cool in difficult moments helps and come well prepared. Work comes first and when you get it right you will notice it.

You shouldn’t lose respect for trying, right?

Never. I have many and I know how difficult it is to finish them. I have seen many colleagues who have had accidents, stopped due to breakdowns… We are lucky that the two times we had serious problems we were able to solve and overcome them. There is a point of luck. But this race has to be respected a lot because at the very least you will go home.

How do you feel when you look back, at the age of 16, and talk about the Dakar with Jordi Arcaron?

pride If you tell that girl who hopes to race in the Dakar that she has completed fourteen races and is about to start the fifteenth race; They told him that he would finish ninth in the overall motorcycle standings, and that I had achieved what I had achieved, in addition to the fact that I had raced in Extreme E with Sainz, because he did not believe in anything. Sometimes you have to look back to find motivation. If I can do it with a motorcycle, I can do it with a car.

Does being a pioneer make you tired?

Yes, but happy that those who come home are easier, for me it is an honor to be a reference. Yes, it’s true that it’s tiring because you always have to prove something and eventually it’s tiring. By car I was young and experienced and it was great, you had to keep paddling to go up the steps.

Ugh, we barely discussed the route. Can you give us an overall assessment?

Every year they have a surprise. Yes, there is the difference of a 48-hour stone phase and a very difficult first week in the marathon too. You have to overcome this first week so that when you are able to run, do it and recover. In the 48 hour stage with the stone last year it was 400 km and we were all left without tires; This being 1,000, I don’t know what will happen!