The 2024 Dakar Rally was a unique one, in which a historic feat was experienced with two Spaniards who achieved victory in their respective categories, both Carlos Sainz and Cristina Gutierrez, but also with a Nani Roma who completed his return to race that has given him so much joy in the past.
After reaching the finish line in Yanbu, the Catalan driver spoke to a small group of media, including Motorsport.com, and assessed what it was like for him to finish the rally after recovering from the illness that forced him to stop some time ago , even if he did it in “Dakar Experience” mode: “I think there are two Spaniards who won today's race: Carlos Sainz in sporting terms and me in personal terms.”
“I think it was a very interesting Dakar for us, in which we learned many things, which will help us a lot for the future”, explained the Folgeroles rider. “And on a personal level, I guess, I had doubts, even though I felt good. I had worked very hard physically, but I had doubts. Also, it was a Dakar that was very physically demanding, but I managed my body very well.”
A few days ago, one of its directors, Mark Rushbrook, was also asked about the possibility of having his compatriot and winner of this edition alongside him in the official Ford team, and when asked about Carlos Sainz, Nani Roma replied : “It would be nice, wouldn't it? It would be nice, I believe that in life it is important to be together with people who contribute, who bring value. Having people like that in any project, in any activity.”
“People who bring value are interesting and Carlos, with whom I get along very well, is a person who brings value,” continued the Catalan. “Then we'll see, I don't know, actually you have to ask him or my boss how it will end, but if he comes, well… he would be welcome”, he said without mincing words.
“First of all, we will have a very tight 2024, with the new car arriving in a couple of months, and when the project is new it's not a given that everything will go well in the first year. But at least we will have a car that we will really like”, said the winner of two Dakars.
Leaving talk of the future behind him, the Spaniard told how he expected to reach the finish line in Yanbu after the tiring journey through Saudi Arabia in his Ford: “I really thought I would suffer a bit more, because the race It was really challenging, but I worked hard.”
“When you train, you are rewarded in that you suffer less, and in this case it was hard, but we had fun, and above all we learned a lot. The team learned a lot. There are many more positive aspects than negatives, not I know what to tell you. I don't think there is anything negative”, explained Nani Roma.
He also appreciated the arrival on the shores of the Red Sea, where he felt a “very strong” feeling for having once again finished the toughest race in the world: “I enjoyed this arrival a bit like when I won on my motorbike on Pink Lake with Isidre: we were running together on the beach of Pink Lake, we had the lake on the left and the sea on the right. Today I felt a similar feeling of pleasure, because you only feel it when you win.”
“A feeling of 'wow, what have I done!'. And now I had a very fresh feeling, and it was very nice, I am above all very happy for what is about to happen, which will be a lot of fun,” said the Catalan .
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