After the team worked all night to get the Century CR7 T1+ ready for the start, Tim and Tom Coronel completed the third stage of the Dakar Rally without major problems. The brothers started in 185th position and had to drive through dust from others all day, but did cross the finish line safely after the 422-kilometer special. « It was quite a tough stage, » says Tom. « Nothing but dust, that’s difficult. »
The day started challenging. Due to the extensive repairs, the car wasn’t quite ready on time. « We were eight minutes late at the start. We’ll probably get a penalty for that, » Tom explains. « But fortunately we did make the start. »
Sand in the brakes
The problem was in the brakes. Due to yesterday’s crash, the brake reservoir caps and hose joints had been blown off. « There was sand everywhere, » Tom explains. « And during those last three and a half hours we drove through the night to get in yesterday, that sand got into all the lines and at the brake pressure distributor. That destroyed everything. »
This morning it started leaking along the rubbers. « Those rubbers were grinding with all that sand in them. Everything broke, » Tom continues. « But we did fix it. » Tim has great respect for the team: « Hats off to the guys who worked through the night. Chapeau! Just crazy. The entire car completely rebuilt. Normally you spend months on that, they do it in one night. »
Starting at the back means eating dust
As the 185th starter, Tim and Tom had to drive through the dust of others all day. « Then you have to drive forward very carefully. It just takes two or three days before you’re back in a good position, » says Tom. « Through the dunes you can still overtake left or right, but on those narrow tracks that just doesn’t work. »
Tim found it frustrating. « You know beforehand that you’re starting at the back and you prepare for it, but it remains annoying. You don’t want to take risks, so it was mainly eating dust. We had to hope the wind was favorable from time to time, then we could overtake them one by one. »
Five to six cars on their roof
The course was tough. « Lots of rocks too, pretty intense. Really rough terrain, » Tom explains. « And so much damage, jeez. I think I saw five or six on their roof. Unbelievable. » Tim agrees: « The course was pretty beaten up, but on the other hand we got through it well. »
Navigation went well, with only one waypoint that needed to be found. « We knew where it was, so that went fairly quickly, » says Tom. Of course it couldn’t be without bad luck: 50 kilometers before the finish, the car got a flat left rear tire. « Let’s have just one day where nothing happens, » Tom laughs. « And then I can’t even get the wheel off, one nut stayed stuck. That cost us about five minutes extra. »
Staying sharp despite the dust
Despite all the challenges, Tim and Tom are satisfied. « There were some tricky things navigation-wise, but we were sharp all day, » says Tim. « We could keep pushing through and you need that, especially when you constantly can’t see anything behind all those cars. We’re in a slightly better position again, and that’s what matters. »
Tom concludes: « Step by step we’re working our way forward. That’s ultimately what it’s about. Everything else went well. »
First marathon stage with basic bivouac
Tomorrow awaits the first marathon stage, a 417-kilometer special that starts in AlUla and finishes at the marathon bivouac. The route runs mostly through wide open spaces, but the zigzagging paths between the hills require many pace changes. At the finish awaits a very basic bivouac: a campfire, tents and ration packs, nothing more. Mutual assistance between competitors is allowed without time limits. The day after, stage five follows immediately with another 372 kilometers, so Tim and Tom will need to drive smartly. « Now back to the bivouac, dot the i’s and cross the t’s, and tomorrow a bit harder again, » Tim concludes.