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The toughest rally marathon of 2021 is full of surprises so far. Already in the first speed section, B. Vanagas crashed to the finish with the damaged car Vaidotas Damage, then repeatedly got stuck in the dunes and wandered for a long time looking for the road, but the driver is satisfied with the result achieved up to the moment.
I will drive faster if necessary
Although the performance curve rose and fell in this rally marathon due to lost and recovered time, according to Vanags, the average is more important, that is, the overall result, which improves with each stage. In general, I was satisfied with the work done by the team before the day off.
“We assess the situation seriously, so the most important thing before the next stages is not to make mistakes. We will try to keep up with the current pace and, if necessary, accelerate. Conservative tactics allowed us to keep the car intact, which if necessary We will be able to drive very fast ”, commented the pilot.
The team is already searching for France’s closest rivals in the overall standings. Jerome Pelichet, who is ranked 12th, is less than six minutes away, and Christian Lavieille, who is ranked 11th, is 13 minutes away.
According to Vanags, the condition of the Toyota Hilux is currently very good. Without causing any additional challenge, the car allows the crew to drive at the desired pace. The advantage of the new design with the centrally mounted motor has also been revealed: stability at high speeds.
“It just came to our knowledge then. Maybe the car is also a bit more powerful, but you don’t notice much. It’s a completely different feeling, when on a level surface you drive straight like an arrow, the grip on the road is maximum.” commented the runner.
30 participants apply for the top ten
Talking to 15min Gazo Editor Žilvinas Pekarskas, B.Vanagas was also happy that they will start 11th in the marathon, which is a good position before this stage.
When asked about the competition, Benedict mentioned that as many as 30 riders are falling in the top ten this year, that is, three in one place, that the competition is just beastly.
Photo by Vytautas Pilkauskas / Benediktas Vanagas 2021 in Dakar
“The organizers made an effort this year. In the past, they said they would, but they didn’t necessarily do it. But this year, I chose both tracks to be sandy and everything to be good, and all the skeptics were shut up as a runner. I saw lower and higher speeds, but didn’t see useless speed like last year. The organizers did their homework very well, I have to admit it, ”said B. Vanagas, the organizer of this year’s Dakar.
He admitted that there had already been some moments that might not have ended very well, but something that he would remember for a long time was still not there.
Sailing is part of the race
According to Vanags, the road books issued just before the speed stages, which caused a lot of controversy, leveled the conditions for all Dakar participants. According to him, the organizers also delivered on a promise that sailing will be difficult this year, which is why there was so much noise.
“Now this is a serious challenge for everyone, both for the private and factory teams. Carlos Sainz immediately got angry and even said:” This is not Dakar! “. It seems to me that now everyone has that accepting the rules of the game, in the Dakar the work of the pilot is not only important, but also that of the co-pilot ”, said the athlete.
Vanagas takes advantage of the only day off in Dakar for health. After intense driving in the sixth gear stage, inflammation of one of the wrists began, which the runner hopes to suppress with medications and vitamins. The best news is that the introduction of a special corset has reduced back pain for a long time.
Although in terms of days, the Dakar participants have reached the halfway point of the 2021 rally marathon, there are still more kilometers to go than they have covered so far. Athletes wait another six days, including a marathon stage that can significantly adjust race results.
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