Lima: Technology Safely Arrived and Ready to Start
The TATRA Buggyra Racing is over the first hours in the capital city of Peru, devoted to checks and preparation of the racing specials and above all of the accompanying vehicles. Tomorrow the programme will include testing in the local sand dunes.
“We have all arrived in the Peru capital in order, and surprisingly enough, technology inclusive, although in the previous years there were always some transport-related defects. We have acquired the needed journalist accreditations and now we are already preparing our racing specials for tomorrow´s testing,“ was the comment of the team manager Jan Kalivoda about the first moments in Lima. The weather in Lima is nice, with temperatures around 30 degrees. “The spirits of the team are high, only some of us have already managed to get tanned a little and now they are suffering from sunburns,“ he added, laughing.
The number one pilot of the TATRA Buggyra Racing team Martin Kolomý has returned to Peru after six years. “Last time I was here my truck laid on the side, which I hope to avoid this year. Otherwise I only remember the good side of the race. As far as our boys have reported, the technology has arrived undamaged. Now we are under preparation for tomorrow´s test, just to try whether everything works as expected. I hope all will come out well for the administrative permits are scheduled for the day after tomorrow and I do not want the boys to already start working overnight,” said the native of Bruntál. In addition to the truck Martin Kolomý will also test his crew composition. “We have already tested together at Milovice and I do not think this test here should change anything about our decision to go through this Dakar together,“ commented the high-spirited Kolomý on his new crew.
Martin Šoltys, the newcomer to the team, was surprised by the size of the Dakar bivouac. “I never was in Peru before so this is my premiere here. I took a walk around the pits today and was surprised how big it is.“ Martin is now about to set off for his first drive in the local dunes in a Tatra. “We will test here tomorrow and I am very much looking forward for this will be my first truck drive in sands. I hope all will come out well,“ he added.
Josef Kalina, the over-experienced navigator of the Šoltys crew, is getting ready for his twenty sixth participation in the famous long-distance rally. “I am glad we are here, I do not like the flights too much. I would rather drive two more stages here. Unlike Martin, I am not very much looking forward to the dunes for according to information we have received the local sand is very powdery and so the drive will certainly be nothing too easy,“ said the Dakar matador.
