On New Year’s Eve it’s that time again and the Dakar Rally will start in Saudi Arabia. This time ten participants from Brabant will participate in the toughest rally in the world. There are three in the buggies category. Paul Spierings, Jeffrey Otten and newcomer Anja van Loon embark on the adventure.
Paul Spierings now has the necessary experience in the Dakar Rally. He first rode the race three times on a motorcycle and now he is starting in a buggy for the second year. He has big plans for this edition.
“I want to finish in the top 10”, says the driver from Sint-Michielsgestel with bravura. “Last time I drove with old iron, but now my buggy is new. It is important to me that I become the best Dutchman for the fifth time in a row.”
“I’m not afraid of a crash, because I’ve rolled over before.”
Jeffrey Otten does not have that ambition. The driver from Gemert is going on the big adventure for the second time and is once again aiming to finish. At the beginning of 2022, that almost went wrong after he crashed in the second stage.
“I hope to avoid that now and I really have to drive more slowly,” says Otten. “But that’s a bit of the problem, because I’m not afraid of a crash. I’ve rolled over before. I’ll really have to slow myself down. That’s also nice for my navigator, haha.”
There are more uncertain factors for Otten and his team. For example, the buggy has new shock absorbers, but it has not been driven a meter yet. Navigator Marco Bouman also does not have much experience in the dunes. “I will have to watch a lot myself and support him,” says Otten. “More rest in my driving will come naturally.”
He won’t be very successful, mate Otten is looking forward to it. “Recently someone thought that I can drive top 15 because I was 27th last time. If that works out, you can already start building a statue. No, I hope for a very boring rally, haha.”
“In the dunes you have to move from side to side like a snake.”
This time, a Brabant debutant can also be admired in the Dakar Rally for the buggies. Anja van Loon takes on the adventure for the first time. The pilot from Eersel practiced a lot last year by driving ten races. Her goal is to finish the Dakar Rally, but she does not shy away from the competitive element and aims for the top 15.
It is striking that Anja van Loon recently changed navigator. Lisette Bakker has been replaced by Dmytro Tsyro. “I chose someone with more experience,” she says.
She recently practiced a lot with Tysro during the Dubai International Baja. “He taught me that you have to move like a snake in the dunes,” says Anja van Loon. “Don’t drive straight up and down, because then you’re more likely to roll over or get stuck. No, you go from left to right like a snake.”
“I also look more ahead now, so that I can drive faster at the right time. I feel that I am well prepared and I am really looking forward to the Dakar Rally.”
