“It's nice to be heading back to the desert”

South Racing have called on a genuine Dakar legend to drive their fast assistance truck in 2021. Tomas Tomecek was one of the stars of the world's toughest rally in the 1990s and 2000s, guiding Karel Loprais to the trucks title in 1995 and finishing on the podium twice as a driver himself in 1999 and 2003. After a couple of unsuccessful outings in South America, Tomas switched his focus to the Africa Eco Race, where he claimed victory in 2011, 2012 and 2014. He returns to the Dakar alongside navigator Ladislav Lala, with whom he completed the rally back in 2007. The Czech duo are joined by skilled German mechanic Philip Rettig, and their job will be to keep a close eye on the various South Racing competitors in the SSV class, including 2019 champion Chaleco Lopez. Tomas has earned the nicknames 'Desert Master' and 'Captain Solo' for his consistent performances in rally raid over the past few decades, and the 50-year-old should provide invaluable aid for the Germany-based outfit at Dakar 2021. With his Tom Racing team, which operates 3 Tatra 815s, he has already organised fast assistance trucks for a host of races, including the Africa Eco Race, the Morocco Desert Challenge, the Pharaohs Rally and the Turkmen Desert Race. Safe to say that the South Racing drivers should be in very safe hands for this 2nd edition of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia.

T.T.: “It's a strange time… Even if we're not really fighting in the trucks classification, it's nice to be heading back to the desert with the Tatra after a one-year break, and to be helping out our fellow competitors in difficulty. I'm looking forward to some new experiences with Lad'a Lala."