Guthrie (Ford): “The Dakar is very tough, but when it’s over you can’t wait to get back”

Young American Ford driver Mitchell Guthrie explained why the Dakar attracts drivers so much and what challenges he faced in preparing

Alessandro Follis

January 15 – 10.56am – HA’IL (SAUDI ARABIA)

There Dakar it’s a challenge like perhaps no other in the world of motorsport. Two intense weeks and over 8 thousand kilometers to travel by car, motorbike or truck, trying not to make mistakes, or to do so as little as possible. So why do so many choose to participate? Mitchell Guthrieofficial driver of the Ford team, tried to give an answer and explained to us how a professional driver prepares for one of the toughest races in the world.

The Dakar is an extremely tough challenge for men and machines. What makes a pilot want to tackle it?

“I don’t even know why I’m here at the Dakar (laughs, ed). It’s funny, because after this race we go home and we’re exhausted, tired, we think it’s the hardest race ever. Immediately afterwards, however, we realize that we can’t wait to return, because it is our passion.”

How do you prepare for such a challenge?

“First of all it is important to know the car as best as possible: do lots of tests, try the suspension, the setup, the reliability before the race. Then there is the mental aspect: experience is important, because you learn to For example, one thing I understood thanks to previous editions is that it is necessary to prepare something to eat, some snacks to take in the car to face the stages, which are really long. For each stage I carry a bag in the car which contains various types of snacks to keep me fit The time I participated I didn’t bring anything, so I lost weight during the race. We eat during the transfers, energy bars or gels, at the beginning or at the end of the stage, because we stay in the car for up to ten hours anyway.”

This is the first edition he faces in the Ultimate class. How different is it from previous categories?

“The car is bigger and faster than what I’ve driven so far, but that also makes it more fun. We have fewer cars in front and larger gaps between us, so navigation is more important and there is less sand kicked up. Since it’s my year, first of all I have to learn a lot, but stage after stage I’m getting better and better with the car.”

How much does it help to have already tackled the race, albeit with a completely different vehicle?

“It’s very useful, especially in terms of experience in the situations we face. You already know how you have to prepare, what you have to bring with you.”

The stages of the Dakar are very long and, adding the transfers, you can spend up to ten hours in the car. How important is it for a driver to feel at ease in terms of comfort, as well as performance?

“There is always an ideal balance that needs to be found: you can stiffen the suspension a lot, so the car will be slightly faster, but your body can’t handle the stress. We have to make sure that the vehicle is comfortable for us in terms of seats and air conditioning, so as not to have problems during the two weeks of the race”.

What was the race strategy you adopted to tackle this Dakar?

“First of all, learn as much as possible about the car and the speed of the best drivers, not damage the vehicle and be consistent every day. Being my first experience with a T1+ car I didn’t expect to win every stage, but to be consistent and consistent driving.”

How do you feel driving the Raptor?

“First of all, I’m happy. Every day there’s a lot of adrenaline, there are ups and downs all the time. Fatigue starts to make itself felt as you progress, but you have to keep going. This is also the beauty of the Dakar: it doesn’t it’s just a matter of pushing hard, but also of managing the strategy, the race tactics and the logistical aspects. No fear, for a professional driver it’s not a factor because we are used to this type of challenge.”

What difficulties do stages such as the 48 Hours and the Marathon, which were at the start of the rally this year, create?

“The 48 hours certainly wasn’t what we expected. We were ready for some rocks and then fast sections, but instead we faced over 400 km of rocky and very hard courses. We managed to tackle them well, managing the tyres, but we saw many opponents having difficulties with the tyres.”

How do you deal mentally with the difficulties that emerge during a stage?

“The most important thing is to stay calm. When you participate in the Dakar, you have to be aware that not everything will go perfectly during the race. In my head, I know that I will have difficulties and when I find myself facing them, I try to remain calm. as calm as possible. It is essential to remember that problems will come for everyone, so they must be managed one at a time, because with such a long and difficult race something always happens.”

What do you think are your strengths that led Ford to choose you as their official driver?

“This is my fifth Dakar, so I have accumulated some experience. Of course, not at the level of riders like Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma, but I have learned how to tackle this type of race and how to have good results, having obtained several stage victories and important results (second place in the T3 class in 2024, ed). Being a Ford driver is amazing for me, being American and therefore being able to race for an American brand. As my strong point I would say first of all the ability to stay calm, to know that the Dakar is an endurance race and to understand when and how much to manage speed: if an opponent passes you in a stretch, you have to understand if it’s worth it. take risks to keep up with him, or if he is exaggerating and could then pay the consequences. This aspect is fundamental.”

We see more and more young drivers arriving at the Dakar very prepared and immediately competing for stage successes. Is it the sign of a change in mentality that sees this race as a possible goal even at a younger age?

“Yes, I think the presence of classes like T3 (Challenger, ed) and T4 (Ssv, ed), more accessible in terms of costs for younger people, allows riders to arrive in this world earlier and immediately approach racing and the Dakar. It gives us the opportunity to learn and grow, so when we eventually get to race a T1+ we’re ready.”



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