The Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team are back in action this week with a new addition after rewriting the record books at the Dakar Rally earlier in the year.
Here is all you need to know:
– Rally Andalucia is the first-ever race to have FOUR Junior Team crews entered and expectations are high that they can build on their impressive performance in the Saudi Arabian desert.
– January saw them claim Dakar records including the youngest ever stage winner and first female stage winner since Dakar left Africa, and they are chasing more glory in southern Spain from May 12-16.
– At last year’s inaugural Rally Andalucia, they took a stage win and secured two spots in the Top 4 of the side-by-side category with Seth Quintero (USA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Francois Cazalet (FRA), Mitch Guthrie Jr. (USA)/Ola Floene (NOR) plus new additions Guillaume de Mevius (BEL)/Tom Colsoul (BEL) lining up this year at the controls of the custom built OT3 machine.
– De Mevius, 26, joins after strong results in the T3 category at last year’s Baja Portalegre as well as both Hail Bajas, while he also has WRC experience and he will link up with compatriot Colsoul.
– He revealed: « Joining the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team is a massive opportunity for me. I’ll have to pace myself because the rally is four days long. Maybe that’s not too long for a rally-raid if you compare it with the Dakar, but it’s a long race compared with what I’m used to. »
– Youngest ever Dakar stage winner Quintero, 18, added: « Last year we had a little bit of a problem on the first two stages. Hopefully we’ll be able to stay in the mix on all four stages this time. »
– After making Dakar history of her own and securing a podium at the inaugural Extreme E race last month alongside legend Sébastien Loeb, Gutiérrez comes home with Francois Cazalet on the roadbook.
– The 29-year-old added: « Since the Dakar I have not driven the car so I need to get back my rhythm. I am really excited to race here because last year this race changed my life. The first Extreme E race was good. Seb has been sharing a lot of driving tips and how to handle the media. »
– American Guthrie Jr. has driven two Dakars as part of the Junior Team and now the 24-year-old is looking forward to competing in his first full FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
– He explained: « Last year in Andalucia we got a podium, this year the plan is to go for that win. Now there have been crazy improvements made to the car, it’s so much faster than it was last year! »
– Rally Andalucia is round one of the seven round 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies and racing starts on Wednesday, May 12 with a short prologue stage, then comes four long days covering 1,200 kilometres of challenging off-road routes around the Andalusian town of Villamartín.
Christina Fial,