CHAGIN Vladimir RUS 05/01/1970

SAVOSTIN Sergey RUS

NIKOLAEV Eduard RUS

Vehicle

MODEL	MAKE
4326	KAMAZ

RANKING

	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	4	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	6	6	6	7	7	7	7	7	8	8	8	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	11	11	11	11	11	12	12	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	14
Scratch	-		1	-	-	-		1	-	-	-		1	-	-	-		1	-	-	-		1	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-
Stage	-		1	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-
Overall	-		1	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-		-	-	-

«I will never change»

Appearances can be deceiving! Vladimir Chagin could pass for a cold blooded animal, with never a hair out of place and frank smile that he cracks very rarely. In reality, this man boils inside and his energy explodes when he’s behind the wheel. In this euphoric state, the Russian driver is uncontrollable and probably the fastest in the world. This explains his run of five Dakar wins between 2000 and 2006 with a staggering 47 stage wins.

With trucks that seem both more reliable and faster, prepared at the Kamaz factory, the man known to all as the Tsar could thus head serenely towards equalling Karel Loprais’ record 6 victories in the category. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for what he has done and I’ve also learned a lot from him”, Vladimir says. “He is both a top rate driver and a remarkable human being. Equalling his record is both an ambitious and difficult objective. But in the end, this isn’t what interests me the most. I have such a good time on the Dakar and that is what helps me to win.” The pleasure he procures in the heat of battle, however, sometimes results in Chagin making irreparable errors. Like in 2005, 2007, 2009 and most recently on the Silk Way Rally, where his perpetual attacking strategy cost him certain victory. In spite of the risks, the undeniable leader of the big blue trucks; doesn’t see any reason to change his driving style for the South American edition. “My style has hardly changed since my debut in 1996 and I will never change. This is what allowed me to with the Dakar and I hope it will; once again, work this year.”

Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com

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