Racing: Astana Dakar Team gets new Tatra vehicles

Astana Dakar Team has switched Kamaz for new Tatra trucks, Tengrinews.kz according to the team's manager Arthur Ardavichus, Dakar bronze winner. “The vehicle is absolutely new. The concept of Tatra truck remains unchanged, as always it has an independent suspension. Tatra’s chassis construction is quite unusual, it is not linear, so it takes some getting used to before one can feel the vehicle and develop a fitting driving style. The engine is very powerful, more powerful than the one we had before. Our crew are going to adjust to the new vehicle and find the most effective methods of driving the Tatra at the Silk Way Rally Raid,” Ardavichus said during the press-conference in Astana. “I’m eager to perform fast and show some beautiful racing at Dakar. But it won't be easy because Tatra's design concept doesn't allow linear racing at very high speeds. However, we still have training sessions, test driving and a huge work with Tatra engineers. I hope, we will bring the vehicle and our team to the top positions at Dakar rally within 2 or 3 years. This is our main goal,” he said. Preparations for the most notable rally raid consist of a large number of trainings and world cup stages, the team's manager explained. “Our team participates in the world cup stages. During a year we cover at least three stages and one race in preparation for Dakar. These are the so called Short Dakar -- Silk Way marathon rally that is held in Russia -- that is equal to Dakar in terms of requirements and conditions,” Ardavichus explained. The team already passed technical and administrative checks at Luzhniki, Moscow, where the crew, technical personnel and all equipment are. The start of the 5th edition of the Silk Way Rally took place on July 5, 2013 at the Red Square in Moscow. 75 cars and 24 trucks are competing in the Silk Way Rally that is to cover a total of 4096 km with about 3000 km of special stages this year. #311 crew of Artur Ardavishus, navigator Alexey Nikizhev and mechanic Adam Stanek on Tatra truck finished the first stage of the Silk Way in the ninth place and the second stage in the 18th place. It is ranked 15th overall 3 hours 44 minutes and 23 seconds behind the leader. “We have a new crew competing in the race on Tatra vehicles. Now we are clients of Dakar Czech Team. Astana team signed a 3-year-contract and joined the big group. Dakar Czech Team is the largest team in the world that put forth six racing vehicles and eight assistance vehicles for Dakar rally,” Kazakhstan’s team manager said. Ardavichus added that besides him Astana colors are defended by pilots Denis Berezovskiy, Aydyn Rakhimbayev and Baurzhan Issabayev driving offroaders. Kazakhstan is represented by Arthur Ardavichus driving Tatra vehicle in the trucks class. Ardavichus is the pilot No.1 for Czech Dakar Team, and the whole team, consisting of six trucks, will be working for him during the race. The 2008 World Cup holder and the winner of 2013 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in T2 class Denis Berezovskiy is driving T2 class Nissan Patrol at the race. Aydyn Rakhimbayev and Baurzhan Issabayev, who participated in Dakar-2013, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2013 and Sealine Cross Country Rally 2013 are driving HiLux Overdrive cars in T1 class. The three off road cars are the prototypes that were specially assembled for this season's races. The crew are planning one more training series for Dakar before the end of the year, including 2-3 sand races, and racing on dunes is the were Astana Dakar Team should perform best. They are also going to take part in the Pharaons Rally in Egypt or in the Morocco rally (World Cup stage). By Altynai Zhumzhumina