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Grzegorz Brochocki and Grzegorz Komar will run their second Dakar Rally in 2025, as soon as once more driving a Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo ready by Overlimit. They’ll be hoping issues go smoother than their début this 12 months after they completed twenty-fifth within the SSV category after a tumultuous rally.
“We current the crew that can proudly characterize Overlimit throughout the Dakar Rally 2025,” reads the crew announcement on Tuesday. “Grzegorz Brochocki would be the driver, and the irreplaceable Grzegorz Komar will navigate in the precise seat. The gents have a rating to settle from final 12 months’s version.
“Comply with our preparations for the large begin!”
Hailing from Poland, the 2 arrived in Saudi Arabia for the 2024 race as former winners of the Rallye Breslau of their house nation in addition to the Balkan Offroad Rallye. Additionally they rode some respectable momentum after ending eleventh in SSV at their maiden World Rally-Raid Championship begin within the 2023 Rallye du Maroc.
Nonetheless, the Dakar was a trial by hearth. Brochocki had some slight well being points firstly however shook it off, although a tyre rim did the identical on the first leg attributable to a number of tyre punctures within the rocky terrain, a destiny that befell many different opponents and induced Overlimit to expire of spare wheels by the tip. The left steering knuckle then broke off the following day after hitting a gap, adopted by a malfunctioning oil sensor in Stage #3 and an engine failure the day after. Time expired whereas making an attempt to repair the automotive, stopping them from beginning the fifth stage and relegating them to the Dakar Experience.
The 2-day Chrono Stage, regardless of being the longest leg, was tormented by a damaged drivebelt and fan although these had been comparatively straightforward to resolve throughout the remainder day. After shedding drive within the entrance proper wheel when the race resumed, Stages #8 by way of #10 luckily proved to be a clear affair. Issues unravelled once more on the penultimate stage when the precise entrance brake calliper broke seventeen kilometres in, however everybody was relieved to in the end attain the end the next day. They had been categorised twenty-fifth, second to final amongst finishers, with a finest stage outing of seventeenth in Stage #10.
“The primary Dakar, I feel we will name it successful,” Komar commented. “It’s undoubtedly a troublesome rally, although I have to admit that I anticipated a a lot better problem. Possibly it’s as a result of we took half in lots of different marathon rallies and it toughened us up as opponents. After all, I realized quite a bit as a co-pilot: sure methods of discovering the route and driving on lower tracks that regarded utterly totally different than the grids within the roadbook pressured us to vary our present habits. On the finish of the rally, we felt superb and assured. When using in place 100+ (general), it’s a must to improvise extra and suppose much less mathematically. A further problem is that fairly often it’s a must to drive the second a part of the part into the setting solar after which in full darkness. Visibility might be the largest downside of this rally: mud, setting solar and driving at evening; it’s a must to be ready for this.”
In April, the crew went on to compete on the Morocco Desert Challenge. After rolling on the 2023 version, they safely accomplished the race second within the FIA T4 class and fifth amongst SSVs. The Grzegorzs continued their momentum by profitable the Automotive Restricted at Rallye Breslau in a Toyota Land Cruiser in July.
“The Dakar stunned me significantly,” started Brochocki. “For years, watching TV stories or studying the information, I had a totally totally different thought of this rally. In my view, there are literally two Dakars going down in Arabia: the primary one, wherein the highest racers (max. 20–25% of opponents) compete for the very best prizes. These are principally professionals from manufacturing facility groups or famend rally stables, however they’re depending on sponsors and so they want end result in any respect prices; there isn’t any honest play, all errors are instantly exploited by their rivals (together with protests to judges), and so they often don’t admit to their very own errors – inventing tall tales about failures or ‘adventures’ on the route.
“The second group are opponents: ‘amateurs’ who wish to full probably the most troublesome rally on the planet, fulfill their goals, and check themselves on the route. Rivals overlaying 1000’s of kilometres combat towards themselves. The ambiance is totally totally different, groups supply assist to one another, present elements wanted for repairs on the route, tow, in fact we compete with one another, however not at any value. On this group, we additionally rode, rode and reached the end line!
“The primary group begins at three-minute intervals within the morning, often finishes within the gentle of day, the second group begins late and finishes in the dead of night; that begins at thirty-second intervals, which leads to using in way more mud, and subsequently decrease outcomes are achieved at pace, and there’s a better danger of damaging the automotive on the identical time. As a result of these circumstances, the gap between the teams systematically will increase day by day.
“Personally, I anticipated it to be way more troublesome. In my view, the issue of Dakar stems not from the issue of the route, however from the depth and variety of kilometres lined. After all, with a purpose to go to Dakar, you completely must know drive within the dunes, in any other case you may severely injure your self or spend most of your time digging out your automotive… We lined all of the kilometres within the roadbook (aside from 2 days), we didn’t should keep away from any obstacles or take a shortcut to the end line.
“Sadly, we didn’t full two stagesdue to a breakdown. On the third day, we broke down on the entry street, and after it was repaired, we didn’t meet the beginning time restrict. On the fourth stage, the breakdown occurred ninety kilometres earlier than the end line and we needed to be towed. These issues additionally pressured a necessity to exchange the engine, leading to one other time penalty. If it weren’t for these adventures, our début begin would have ended with a really respectable end result.
“I’m pleased with the beginning, we crossed the Empty Quarter desert (the desert that’s the largest sand-covered steady space on the planet)! We reached the end line, we achieved our purpose! Nonetheless, I really feel a sure dissatisfaction attributable to not finishing two levels. I take into account it a problem given to us by Dakar… whether or not we’ll take it up, time will inform…”
The 2025 Dakar Rally runs 3–17 January.
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