Kevin van Deijne from Zeeland is in second place in the standings of the ELE Rally. With the experience and tips of his father and former Dakar rider Tonny van Deijne, his son is chasing victory on Saturday night. The love of high speeds is in their DNA. Yet Tonnie sees a clear difference when he looks at his son. “Kevin drives in a controlled manner, I was always looking for the limit.”
After seven stages of the ELE Rally, Zeelander Kevin van Deijne and Hein Verschuuren from Geldrop are in second place. The duo also finished second in the last two editions, so the goal is clear on Saturday. “We can only do our best, but we are going full steam ahead for first place.”
“When braking for a corner, he can still gain meters.”
During a service in Veghel, father Tonnie calmly watches the team putting the car back in perfect order. “I leave Kevin alone, he is focused on the race. I do pay attention to his decisions during the various stages. When braking before a corner, for example, he can gain some meters. It’s about small things, but that can mean the difference between a second or first place.”
“I was sometimes above 100 percent, then you know it can go wrong.”
Tonnie drove Dakar himself for years, but now he has ‘rally pension’. “I know how much time is in the preparation, I’m done with that. As a spectator I look at the sport very differently than when I was behind the wheel myself. I see the speed and the dangers, but luckily Kevin takes little risk “It always runs at 85 to 90 percent, so the car stays balanced. I was sometimes above 100 percent, then you know it can go wrong.”
“Technically he is very strong. Although I drove more guts.”
He also sees a clear agreement. “The fact that we are so good on unpaved terrain is in our genes. Technically he is very strong. Although I drove more guts.”
