The Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team will write the next chapter of their high-speed adventure at the Andalucía Rally – October 6-10. After a solid display for their 1st outing at the 2020 Dakar Rally, this trip to Spain represents the perfect chance for a squad with an average age of just 21 to reach top gear ahead of their next visit to Saudi Arabia. Andalucía will be the first time the team have entered three juniors into the same rally.
Nobody on the start line of the Andalucía Rally will be more excited than the very promising Seth Quintero who turned 18 three weeks ago. Seth was denied the chance to compete at the 2020 Dakar due to his age, but now the time has come for him to join his team-mates behind the wheel of an OT3 by Overdrive side-by-side (SxS) machine.
Seth has been in great form in the second half of the year with race wins in his native United States as he aims to defend his Best in the Desert series title. Now Seth has the chance to share the track with the best off-road competitors on the planet – it’s an opportunity he intends to take full advantage of.
« 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
Joining Seth in Spain is fellow Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver Mitch Guthrie Jr. Mitch was a huge part of the team’s successful debut at the Dakar earlier this year when – alongside Blade Hildebrand and Cyril Despres – he helped secure the fastest SxS time on half of the stages.
Mitch has also been active in the States recently at races such as Vegas to Reno where he came out 2nd. The American driver is now stoked to be jumping back in his OT3 to get stuck into action once again.
« I love meeting up with the people that make it all happen. It’s a lot of fun when we’re all together. » – Mitch Guthrie Jr.
The third Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver at the four-day Andalucía Rally will be Swedish rallycross sensation Kevin Hansen. The 2019 Nitro Rallycross event winner is standing-in for Blade after the American racer suffered a mild injury at the recent Baja 500 in Mexico. The switch will ensure the continuity in the development of the OT3 machine, gathering the necessary mileage ahead of the next Dakar.
« This is going to be fun. It’s a car you push hard and it got me hooked straightaway. » – Kevin Hansen
The Andalucía Rally will be the first opportunity since Dakar 2020 for the team to monitor the OT3s development under racing conditions. Therefore the drivers and the crew will be out to maximise the experience as they look to constantly improve all aspects of the operation in preparation of the 2021 Dakar in Saudi Arabia.
Select Quotes
Mitch Guthrie Jr.: « I’m so excited to drive the OT3 at this race because it’s been so long. Not racing the car since Dakar means it’s been a while since I’ve seen the team. That’s one of the things I love, meeting up with the people that make it all happen. It’s a lot of fun when we’re all together.
« 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.
« Not being able to race the last Dakar was frustrating and I’m planning on using some of that anger to go faster now I’ve finally got the chance to race the OT3.
« Rally compared to the Best in the Desert races I do in the States is a little bit different. I go for maybe 10 hours at a time in the States and here in Andalucía we’re going to be racing for an hour or two at a time. We’re going to have to push at this one whereas back home it’s more about conserving your car for the whole race. »
Kevin Hansen: « This is going to be fun. It’s a car you push hard and it got me hooked straightaway. The car is not so powerful so you really have to focus on maximising the power that you have. Some of the terrain that we will race this car on is completely crazy.
« This is something completely different than rallycross. When I was team-mates with Séb (Loeb) he would always be asked if he preferred rallycross or rally-raid. He would say that it’s impossible to compare and I agree with him, the sensations and the sport are so different. In rally-raid you must work with your co-driver to get the better of nature using the small information you get about the course.
« 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. »