Rallye du Maroc proved to be very demanding for the Tatra Buggyra ZM Racing truck drivers, serving as a really tough test for the Dakar in January.
MONACO, FRANCE, October 15, 2024 /
EINPresswire.com/ -- Martin Šoltys arrived in Africa with a virus infection, yet he held on to second place until the driver of the Tatra Buggyra EVO3 had to retire from the rally due to his health issues. Karel Poslední made his Tatra Phoenix debut in a major rally in the demanding desert conditions. The newcomer’s target was to mainly gain experience and he just missed out on the final podium by one place.
"The most important thing about our participation in Morocco was the tests in desert conditions and the racing kilometers we put in. Unfortunately, Martin Šoltys could not finish the rally due to health reasons, but he still showed the strong potential of the Tatra Buggyra EVO3. Karel Poslední managed well in the hard African conditions, he gained valuable experience and was able to reach the finish. This is the most important thing for him," said Buggyra's Head of Communications, Jan Kalivoda.
Martin Šoltys, whose crew included Tomáš Šikola and Vlastimil Miksch, completed four stages in Morocco, keeping close to the leader, until his virus infection prevented him from finishing.
"I'm really happy with the performance of the truck, particularly because it’s the first time I’ve tested the EVO3 in such a difficult terrain. The dampers and chassis are working perfectly. It’s a really good truck," Martin said and added: "It’s great that the crew also perfectly fits together."
Martin Šoltys only regretted that he couldn’t make it to the finish line. "I came to Morocco with some kind of bug, so unfortunately we had to retire after four days. There's nothing we can do about it; health is more important. Now I will prepare intensively for the Dakar."
Karel Poslední, who tackled the challenges of Rallye du Maroc in a Phoenix with Filip Škrobánek and Jaroslav Kolář, experienced the desert’s pitfalls right at the beginning.
"Right at the start of the first stage, I tried a lot of new things but in the dunes, we fell over right away. Then we got stuck twice, so we had to dig ourselves out of the sand. But luckily, we didn’t have to spend the night in the desert and managed to make it back to the bivouac before nightfall," Karel described his encounter with the challenges of the desert dunes.
He considers the final fourth place a success. "Rallye du Maroc was good for me. I finished in fourth place, so that’s perfect. It was quite a tough rally. I’m happy to have gained a lot of experience in this terrain that the guys say is comparable to the Dakar. I’d like to thank the crew and the whole Buggyra team for everything. It was perfect, and I really enjoyed it," said Karel Poslední.
The Tatra Buggyra ZM Racing team and crew members will now turn their attention to the final preparations for the Dakar Rally, which starts in Saudi Arabia on January 3, 2025.
Buggyra Organisation
Buggyra Organisation
+377 80 09 44 59
buggyra@buggyra.com
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