Ales Loprais opens a brand new chapter in his Dakar Rally profession. The Czech driver is transferring on from the Praga V4S DKR, which secured him a exceptional second place on this yr’s legendary race, to the cockpit of an Iveco Powerstar. However the change just isn’t restricted to his automotive. Loprais’ crew can also be present process a strategic transformation.
For the previous 5 seasons, Loprais has relied on his beloved Praga, affectionately dubbed “Girl.” He had hoped to enter one other season with this truck, however unexpected circumstances required vital adjustments.
“We would want to make in depth modifications to the truck in line with new laws, together with decreasing its weight. Extra essential, with a purpose to be on the prime, we must fully overhaul the gas injection system from a pump-jet to frequent rail, which most of our rivals use. That will take not less than three to 4 years of pricy improvement, ideally with manufacturing facility assist,” Loprais explains. “Whereas that may be fascinating, at this level in my profession, I don’t wish to spend my greatest racing years experimenting at Dakar as an alternative of utilizing my expertise to realize the outcomes I’ve dreamed of,” he added.
This determination allowed Loprais and his trusted “Girl” to make appearances at a number of occasions throughout the Czech Republic this yr, which was beforehand unimaginable. The Czech driver stays enthusiastic concerning the Praga V4S DKR, describing it as a strong truck. Furthermore, he hopes to someday put it to the take a look at as soon as once more, maybe throughout the Marrakesh Problem or the Africa Eco Race.
“I want to thank the Praga automotive firm for a number of years of beneficiant assist and great mutual relations, which don’t change even now after we are every going in several instructions. I want them, with all my coronary heart, that their Praga Bohema hypercar succeeds on the planet of supercars,” he mentioned. Loprais additionally expressed gratitude to Tatra, with which he had mentioned potential collaboration however had not reached an settlement.
As an alternative, a compelling supply emerged from Gerard de Rooy’s crew, which Loprais swiftly embraced. Constructed at De Rooy’s amenities in Son, Netherlands, the brand new Iveco Powerstar truck is tailor-made for Loprais, with the corporate’s crew additionally managing all race-time upkeep, guaranteeing a top-tier efficiency.
Underneath the InstaTrade Loprais Staff De Rooy FPT banner, 44-year-old Ales Loprais will pilot the Iveco Powerstar on the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia this January, adopted carefully by races in Africa only a month later. In early October, Loprais efficiently examined the brand new truck in Africa, which then returned to De Rooy’s workshop for ultimate changes.
Throughout the African exams, InstaTrade Loprais Staff gathered essential information to fine-tune their technique. This expertise additionally strengthened bonds throughout the newly fashioned crew, as Loprais welcomed Czech navigator David Kripal and Dutch mechanic Bernard der Kinderen, enhancing their collaboration.
“After this yr’s Dakar, I significantly thought of taking a break from racing to concentrate on different actions. However Aleš made me a suggestion, and it was one of many few choices associated to Dakar that also appealed to me,” Kripal famous. This is able to mark a brand new take a look at and uncharted territory for the Czech navigator, as his prior off-road expertise hardly compares to Dakar’s rigorous situations.
“It doesn’t scare me in any respect. Quite the opposite, I’m excited. With a automotive, I already knew what to anticipate and what could be sufficient, however I do not know what to anticipate from the truck so I’ve to step out of my consolation zone and actually work laborious on endurance, strengthening my core, again, and neck. I’m approaching my preparations as if it had been my first Dakar. I believe my bodily and psychological preparation is now on a totally totally different degree in comparison with the previous few years,” he defined.
The 42-year-old Czech navigator is eagerly anticipating the upcoming exams, viewing them as a important alternative to deepen his technical experience and improve his worth to the crew throughout the rally. He’s dedicated to making sure a easy partnership with the mechanic, striving to be absolutely ready for any state of affairs which will come up and to supply efficient assist when wanted. Conscious of Loprais’s dedication to realize robust outcomes, Kripal acknowledges the significance of each second and the inevitable strain that comes with it. He sees this rally as a problem and is able to give his utmost to assist the crew succeed.
As a part of the brand new crew line-up, Bernard der Kinderen, winner of the 2007 Dakar, will exchange Jiri Stross as an onboard mechanic. Loprais beforehand labored with the skilled Dutchman throughout the 2015 and 2016 Dakar Rallies when he first piloted De Rooy’s truck in Morocco and South America.
In the meantime, Loprais’s technical crew, liable for making ready and sustaining his rally vans, will undertake an intensive autumn schedule restoring the enduring Tatra Puma and a completely upgraded Tatra 815 4×4 HAS. These classic machines are set to compete on the Dakar Traditional, a race operating in tandem with the primary occasion in Saudi Arabia.
Regardless of a packed schedule this autumn and a Dakar Rally season full of recent challenges, one factor that continues to be fixed about Ales Loprais is his ambition. For years, his dedication to be the perfect has by no means wavered, and he continues to channel each effort towards that purpose. As Loprais prepares for the primary exams within the Netherlands, this dedication underpins his each transfer, driving him to try for excellence on the rally stage.
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