Besides cars and motorcycles, Spain has many options for success in other disciplines roads with beautiful weapons Challenger, in SSV and even with the option of trucks. Besides, Santaolalla and Lesmes They defend the crown in the classics, in cars and trucks, respectively.
Pau Navarro wants to succeed in the Challenger
Pau Navarro and Edu Pons They are the great Spanish assets in a Challenger category where anything can happen and where there are no clear favourites. They are gone the top three finishers from last year: their champion, Cristina Gutiérrez, by Mitch Guthrie, Rokas Baciuska or ‘Chaleco’ López.
They will find success, as always, those of the Red Bull off road Junior Team or the BBR team, and among them, their new signing, Pau Navarro, at the age of 20, as one of the future talents of the raids.
He made his Dakar debut at the age of 16 as a truck co-pilotthe youngest in history. It premiered as a pilot in 2023 at age 18, with a Top-10 in SSV. AND in 2024. At the age of 19, he jumped into the top category with the Mini X-Raid.
An accident in stage 2 forced him to abandon and it looks like he will do it again, this time in a Ford, but he will race in Challenger with the best car, a Taurus. Eduard Pons will also be here, along with motorcycle racer Jaume Betriu as navigator, both of whom have since become champions of the FIA Challenger Baja World Cup. The presence of the pilot of rallied Joan Font, as well as Xavier Foj, who will participate in his 33rd Dakar.
Gerard Farrés, for the ‘touareg’ with the Pedregà Team
Gerard Farrés is one of the drivers with the highest quality and speed in the light vehicle (SSV) category and is looking for a ‘touareg’ which he deserves. will accompany you Tony Vingutdebuting as co-pilot after 6 editions in quads.
The resident pilot at Manlleu achieved an unforgettable motorcycle podium in 2017 with the Spanish team Himoinsa and now, years later, he enlisted in another ‘Spanish army’ of Dakarhe Pedregà groupin SSV. He debuted on four wheels in SSV with a podium in 2019 (2nd) and repeated it in 2022 (2nd), an edition where when he was leading in the final stage, in the last kilometers he had to stopped to give the victory to his leader.
Despite its speed and reliability, last year it was on the verge of being left without a Dakar due to a lack of support in the always difficult Dakar world. Now you can breathe easy. He will fight official teams knowing he has the structure behind him to win and plenty of hands and experience to make a difference.
In the run there will be about a dozen Spaniards in the SSV, such as co-pilot Fausto Mota and the former co-pilot of Farres, Diego Ortega, making his debut with the current runner-up in the category, Jérome De Sadeleer.
Trucks: Torrallardona, go for it
Moisés Torrallardonaco-pilot of Mitchell Vanden Brinkachieved the podium last year with third place and wants to aim for everything in Dakar 2025. For his part, the MALE 6×6 of Jordi Juvantenywill challenge the sands in the second year of the category Mission 1000 when powered by hydrogen.
Dakar Classic with Spanish dominance
In 2021, the Dakar Classic category was launched, a regular competition that allowed the return to the desert of mythical and iconic cars of the past such as Vatanen’s Peugeot 205 or Jacky Ickx’s Porsche 959, as well as those old production vehicle prepared for the occasion like the ever reliable Land Cruiser. This is a category that also allows those who have always dreamed of going to a Dakar to do so thanks to the lower budget required to carry out this adventure.
The last two editions were dominated by the Spanish. In 2023, the Catalan Juan Morera won, with his wife and co-driver Lidia Ruba at the controls of a Toyota, but they did not repeat the crown last year with a Porsche 959 with the legendary Rothmans decoration.
Last year’s scepter went to another Catalan crew, the one formed by Carlos Santaolalla and his co-pilot Jan Rosawhich has been key to the 22-year-old in his instructions in a category where sailors are important because of the complexity of having to control navigation and regularity, making constant calculations to not exceed meters to travel or the established average speed for each section in the indicated time, a feat of goldsmithing that Jan has mastered to perfection and is able to Rosa and Santaolalla be among the favorites again in 2025.
Rafael Lesmes defends the throne in classic trucks
In the category of Classic Trucks There was also a victory for the Spanish, that of ‘Pink Elephant’, the canary truck Rafael Lesmes, guided by the young co-pilot Tabatha Romon. They took the victory and 9th place overall. Classics in their unity project, where they want to raise awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer and its prevention in both women and men.
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.
