The best rally-raid racers on the planet are coming to Spain to compete in the brand-new Andalucía Rally. There’s a host of Dakar Rally champions in the pack as well as some intriguing rookies to keep an eye on when five days of off-road action get underway tomorrow.
Expect a heavyweight tussle in the car category as Carlos Sainz (ESP), Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) and Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) engage in battle. This trio have won the Dakar a staggering 19 times between them as well as picking up a host of other honours, including WRC titles and Olympic medals!
« Despite the difficult time we were able to find some areas that we could improve on. The team has done a great job and I think we have become even better. » – Carlos Sainz
Reigning Dakar champion Sainz will be at the wheel of a MINI John Cooper Works Buggy while Peterhansel takes control of the 4×4 MINI Rally which he drove to victory at last month’s Baja Poland. Al-Attiyah will continue with the Toyota Hilux he has been helping to develop over the past seasons and brought to victory at the 2019 Dakar.
« It’s always great to test ourselves against our Dakar rivals. Our target is to go fast and to win this race. » – Nasser Al-Attiyah
There has been plenty of time for reflection for the Red Bull KTM Factory Team after they missed out on victory at the Dakar earlier this year, ending an unprecedented winning streak stretching back nearly two decades. The team take their place in the bike race at the Andalucía Rally with a firm focus on getting back to winning ways.
« I’m really thankful that the organizers have managed to arrange this rally in Spain, and we get to go racing again. After all, it’s what we love to do! » – Toby Price
Former Dakar champions Toby Price (AUS), Sam Sunderland (GBR) and Matthias Walkner (AUT) will all saddle up for the Red Bull KTM Factory Team in Spain. Also along for his first ride as part of the all-conquering KTM team will be new recruit Daniel Sanders (AUS).
« Testing has been going well and the bike is feeling good, so now hopefully a good result in Andalucía and then concentrate on Dakar. » – Matthias Walkner
Racing in her homeland will be Laia Sanz (ESP) with a GasGas bike while CS Santosh (IND) will be onboard Hero hardware for the 1,354-kilometre rally in southern Spain.
« Coming out of the last Dakar I had two broken ligaments in my hand and these injuries take a long time to recover from. To be coming back now after a long recovery and everything else that has been happening feels good. » – Laia Sanz
In the side-by-side (SxS) contest there’s another chance to catch the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team in action. After setting the fastest time on six of the 12 SxS stages at the last Dakar, there’s a solid platform in place for the drivers and their OT3 machines to kick on from. Mitch Guthrie Jr. (USA) is back behind the wheel of his OT3 by Overdrive while Seth Quintero (USA) who just turned 18 last month and rallycross sensation Kevin Hansen (SWE) are both getting their first drive in Andalucía. 2019 Nitro Rally Cross winner Kevin will be standing-in for Blade Hildebrand (USA) while the American racer sits this one out to recover from his unlucky accident at Baja 500.
« I’m going to come out swinging. We’ve been testing beforehand and I’m super happy with the car and very proud of the team. » – Seth Quintero
All racers and all teams are targeting the Andalucía Rally as the key piece of preparation ahead of the 2021 Dakar in Saudi Arabia. In what has been a stop-start year for the competitors, now is the time for the best of the best to show that they have lost none of their speed.
Quotes
Carlos Sainz: « The upcoming Dakar will certainly be another great event – after this year’s experience – probably even better. Concerning the MINI JCW Buggy, despite the difficult time we were able to find some areas that we could improve on. The team has done a great job and I think we have become even better. »
Stéphane Peterhansel: « My motivation is still there – maybe even more so as I know that the Buggy will be even better. I have a new co-pilot sitting next to me and I think Edouard (Boulanger) has a lot of potential that he can certainly exploit to the fullest at the Dakar. I am also very much looking forward to Saudi Arabia – the landscape there is simply incredible. »
Nasser Al-Attiyah: « We’re very happy to have this opportunity to get back to racing rally-raid in Andalucía. It’s always great to test ourselves against our Dakar rivals. Our target is to go fast and to win this race, like we aim to do at every rally we compete in. It will be great to get to work with the team again and get everything ready for Dakar. »
Toby Price: « It’s certainly been a tough time for everyone since January – the whole world has been turned upside down, but we’re doing the best we can considering. I’m really thankful that the organizers have managed to arrange this rally in Spain, and we get to go racing again. After all, it’s what we love to do! »
Sam Sunderland: « It’s been nice to get back with the boys and the whole team, testing some new stuff on the bike and generally getting back into the race routine. It makes you realize just how much you love doing what you do. I’m looking forward to the Andalucía Rally, it’s great that they have managed to fit in at least one before Dakar. »
Matthias Walkner: « It feels great to be able to prepare to race again. I’m really looking forward to the rally in Spain, I think it will be different, but a good learning experience for all of us. I’m feeling really good right now. Testing has been going well and the bike is feeling good, so now hopefully a good result in Andalucía and then concentrate on Dakar. »
Daniel Sanders: « I’m only a few weeks into my rally career and it’s a really different experience. It’s exciting though, I’m learning every day and I’ve been working on my roadbook skills a lot. It’s a new discipline and I’m taking it step-by-step and learning as safely as possible. »
Laia Sanz: « My goal in Andalucía is to get back to racing. I’m also looking forward to being back with all the other riders and inside the atmosphere of a rally once again. Coming out of the last Dakar I had two broken ligaments in my hand and these injuries take a long time to recover from. To be coming back now after a long recovery and everything else that has been happening feels good. »
CS Santosh: « It feels really good to be back on the saddle again after such a long break. We have been training hard over the past month in Portugal and also testing and supporting development work on our bikes. Being back together with all the guys and working as a team again is definitely the best thing to have happened for me in a long time. »
Mitch Guthrie Jr.: “We learned a lot during Dakar, but I think this race is going to be a little different. In Andalucía you don’t have the same logistical challenges you get at the Dakar, for example the bivouac doesn’t move. Getting seat time in the car is the biggest thing I’m looking to take away and fine-tuning the OT3 with the team.”
Seth Quintero: « I haven’t raced rally my whole life and now I’m finally getting to go and race with the boys. I’m super stoked and the Andalucía Rally is definitely going to be one for the books. I’m going to come out swinging. We’ve been testing beforehand and I’m super happy with the car and very proud of the team. »
Kevin Hansen: « To have a co-driver is a new experience for me but it’s a nice one because it means I can share this adventure with someone. It’s a bit like learning a new language to understand all the pace notes, and this is something that I’m going to have to work hard on. »
Christina Fial,