Dakar 2024: Two sixth places for X-raid in the prologue
01/05/2024
- Holowczyc starts the season highlight in sixth place
- Casale finishes sixth in the Challenger class (formerly T3)
The Dakar started with a 28 kilometre short prologue near Al Ula. The two Poles Krzysztof Holowczyc and Lukasz Kurzeja in the MINI JCW Rally Plus secured sixth place on the completely sandy route. The two Chileans Ignacio Casale and Alvaro Léon also started the Dakar in sixth place. They are competing in the X-raid 1000R Turbo Side-by-Side in the Challenger class.
Vaidotas Zala and Paulo Fiuza, who are driving a MINI JCW Rally Plus, finished 22nd in the Ultimate class (formerly T1). Pau Navarro and Goncalo Reis finished the prologue in 37th position in the class. For the young Spaniard, it was his first kilometres in the MINI JCW Rally Plus. It is his fourth Dakar in total.
In the Challenger classification, Pál Lónyai and Filippo Ippolito finished 19th in the X-raid 1000R Turbo – followed by their team-mates Annett Quandt and Annie Seel.
Tomorrow the Dakar entourage will leave the start camp in Al Ula and move on to Al Henakiyah. The riders have a total of 541 kilometres ahead of them – 414 km of which are against the clock.
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Quotes from the drivers
Krzysztof Holowczyc (#217 MINI JCW Rally Plus)
After so many years I’m finally back at the Dakar. We drove today without taking any risks. I’m happy with the result and we’re starting in a good position – that’s important. The MINI ran superbly and without any problems. I think from day to day. If it always goes like it did today, a good result comes naturally.”
Vaidotas Zala (#214 MINI JCW Rally Plus)
“I’m happy with the result in the prologue. I think our starting position for tomorrow is good. The MINI worked very well. The conditions weren’t easy at all and the track was very undulating. Paulo did a great job and didn’t make any mistakes.”
Pau Navarro (#230 MINI JCW Rally Plus)
“It was a very fast stage. The 28 kilometres were a lot for a prologue, but very short for Rally-Raid. We didn’t push too hard, but I think it was okay. Unfortunately, we got lost once and lost some time as a result. I still have a lot of work to do on myself and my driving style.”
Ignacio Casale (#309 X-raid 1000R Turbo)
“I’m extremely happy about sixth place. It’s a very good result for us and puts us in a great starting position for tomorrow. The X-raid 1000R Turbo is great. I had a good feeling the whole time. Now we are preparing for tomorrow’s stage.”
Annett Quandt (#321 X-raid 1000R Turbo)
“That was a very nice prologue. I didn’t imagine the scenery would be so great. The route itself was intense and not easy to drive. The navigation was also tough. The result today is important for tomorrow. I think it will be very difficult to overtake tomorrow. We feel comfortable in the car and I’m happy to be back in the car.”
Pál Lonyai (#334 X-raid 1000R Turbo)
“I’m delighted to have completed my first Dakar stage. Today’s stage was only very short at 28 kilometres. The X-raid 1000R Turbo has been further developed in some areas and feels much better now. Filippo also did a very good job. I’m happy with our result and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
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Result prologue (Ultimate-class)
1. M. Ekström / E. Bergkvist – Audi – 16m 30s
2. S. Quintero / D. Zenz – Toyota – 16m 53s
3. S. Loeb / F. Lurquin – Prodrive – 17m 08s
4. M. Baumgart / K. Cincea – Prodrive – 17m 08s
5. C. Baumgart / A. Andreotti – Prodrive – 17m 14s
6. K. Holowczyc / L. Kurzeja – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 17m 14s
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22. V. Zala / P. Fiuza – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 18m 11s
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37. P. Navarro / G. Reis – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 19m 02s
Result prologue (Challenger-class)
1. E. Goczal / O. Mena – Taurus – 17m 34s
2. M. Goczal / S. Gospodarczyk – Taurus – 17m 54s
3. K. Meeke / W. Rosegaar – OT3 – 17m 55s
4. N. Cavigliasso / V. Pertegarini – Taurus – 18m 13s
5. M. Guthrie / K. Walch – Taurus – 18m 15s
6. I. Casale / A. Leon – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 18m 15s
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19. P. Lonyai / F. Ippolito – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 19m 49s
20. A. Quandt / A. Seel – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 20m 03s
