“To do it in family is the most important, I wouldn’t go there alone”

Michal Goczal is still looking for his first Dakar podium. Superb 4th in the SSVs for his first participation, in 2021, he confirmed his speed with a 5th place the following year, winning two stages. A technical problem prevented him from fighting for the top positions in 2023. After experiencing it, he changed his plans to try to help his brother Marek, who is 16 years his senior, and his nephew Eryk. A choice that paid off since Eryk won the SSV race and Marek finished 3rd! Michal inherited a love of racing from his older brother, who bought him his first quad when he was just five years old. Twenty-seven years later, the whole family is fighting for Dakar glory. A fairy tale? Yes, but it could be even better if Michal joins them on the podium! Will 2024 be his year? Hard to say, as the family leave the T4 class and will make its debut in Challenger T3. To achieve his goal, Michal will once again team up with his talented co-driver Szymon Gospodarczyk. The 33-year-old Pole had a busy year: he did the entire W2RC season, as well as some WRC rounds. He tasted the Dakar podium with Claude Fournier in 2018, and now aims to repeat this performance with his compatriot.

M.G.: “We lost our chance to get on the 2023 Dakar podium when our gearbox broke down, but we achieved 2/3 of the team’s podium plan with Eryk (1st) and Marek (3rd). So it was my worst Dakar, but I will remember it as a victory for our team! We tested our new car during the Rallye du Maroc. We’re changing class and we started testing in September, it’s a short timing but I think we’re very well prepared. We have a very good suspension that we recently created. We have a lot of new solutions that we’ve introduced in the car. The goal is to have fun and enjoy the opportunity to take part in this extraordinary rally. It’s always special when I ride with Marek and Eryk. I remember when we were driving side by side. I often think back to moments when the three of us were close to each other during stages. Participating in family is the most important. If I had to go alone, I wouldn’t go. I want to approach this new race with a cool head. The ambition is to take the entire podium as a team, I believe that we’re prepared for it and I hope that it will succeed.”

S.G.: “Our plan was to have all three Goczal cars on the podium in 2023, but we missed it with Michal due to a technical issue. After that we took parts from their car, we were like a support team for them and we were happy because Eryk won the T4 race! I did the whole W2RC season and it’s a great preparation for this 2024 Dakar. It was nice to train in the dunes of Morocco and Abu Dhabi, but it was also good to go in Argentina and Mexico, because it was totally different. The goal is to be on the podium in Yanbu. Of course, I would like to be on the top step! I remember my first Dakar, we finished 3rd with Claude Fournier, so let’s say that the objective is to do better than in 2019. It will be really tough but I hope so and I have good confidence, something that is very important for a co-driver.”