The next round of the world’s toughest race will see a new competitive duo attempt to win the Touareg trophy. Both know what it means to win the Dakar, but both Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma will be looking to do so with the revamped Ford project with their impressive Raptor T1+, which already knows what it means to stand on the top step of the podium.
Although the Spaniard has yet to take part in a real race with the prototype, the Catalan managed to be the fastest in the Baja Hungary during the weekend of August 9 and 10, 2024, about five months before the big launch of the American team with the M-Sport team. Already winner of the event on bikes in 2004 and in cars in 2014, he was the fastest in the more than 500 kilometers of timed stages through Hungarian territory, with Alex Haro as co-driver.
After more than four hours at the wheel of the vehicle with which he will compete in the next Dakar Rally, he managed to cross the finish line in the lead, with more than a minute and a half ahead of his closest rival, Joao Ferreira. When he took off his helmet, he assessed his experience with the Ford Raptor T1+ and said: “Winning the first race in which you go to compete with a new car is very positive and logically I am very happy. Overall, it was a very interesting race for the whole team, for me the most positive thing is that we saw things to improve, because no matter how much testing you do, until you compete, you don’t see everything in its entirety, and this is much more pronounced when you start with a new car”.
“We have a solid team and this victory is very motivating for all of us. Now we will do another test session and prepare ourselves as best as possible for the Dakar”, said Nani Roma before receiving as a gift on the podium of the Baja Hungary a special armored helmet, a sword and a shield, arrived directly from the castle of Thury.
Next up is the Rally Morocco, the final test for all those heading to Saudi Arabia in January to try to win the Touareg trophy in 2025, with plenty of new features and a three-way duel expected with Dacia and Toyota.
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