N° 329 - TEAM OPEL RALLY RAID TEAM
- SZALAY
- Balazs
- HUN
- 17/04/1965
- 180 cm
- 95 kg
|
- BUNKOCZI
- Laszlo
- HUN
- 17/09/1966
- 185 cm
- 83 kg
|
| MODEL |
MAKE |
| ANTARA RR |
OPEL |
 |
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
|
| Scratch |
15
|
21
|
20
|
141
|
26
|
34
|
60
|
24
|
26
|
38
|
-
|
14
|
83
|
47
|
| Stage |
15
|
21
|
20
|
141
|
26
|
125
|
54
|
24
|
25
|
37
|
-
|
13
|
83
|
47
|
-
|
-
|
| Overall |
15
|
15
|
14
|
51
|
39
|
64
|
57
|
29
|
29
|
29
|
-
|
23
|
23
|
22
|
-
|
-
|
Balazs Szalay: “21 000 fans behind us”
Watch out, here come the Hungarians on the Dakar. Balazs Szalay and Laszlo Bunkoczi are maybe not international stars, but in their country, during the month of January, many of their compatriots have their eyes set on their performances. Indeed with 15 appearances for both of them, their website is during the competition extremely visited. Their fan club even has 21 000 members.
The two companions don’t intend on deceiving all these supporters. “The year has been very difficult, especially to find sponsors, but the car is very competitive” explains Balazs who has competed in nine Dakars. “So we would like to finish among the first fifteen”. To that team objective, Laszlo the co-driver adds a personal ambition: “I’m at my fifth Dakar and I finished all of them which is quite unique”, he says. “So it would be a great pride for me to reach the finish line again”.
To really live the adventure, Balazs has this year abandoned one of his two functions. Normally also the technical director of the Opel Racing Team, he this year delegated the duty. The only Hungarian driver to have finished the Dakar three times is delighted that the event is this year taking place in South America. “The factory teams had a great experience of the terrain in Africa but now everyone will be at a same level so I believe the gaps will be smaller with the amateur teams”.
Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com