“I feel privileged”
معلومات عن الطاقم
MB
- Michele Bini’s road to the Dakar mixes passion and charity. An enthusiast for off-roading, he’s driven his car around Europe, from Italy, to Greece, Romania, Hungary… His adventures and encounters led him to develop the Sport e Solidarietà project, which he is bringing to fruition with this first participation in the Dakar Classic.
- With Sport e Solidarietà, Bini raises funds for the Meyer Paediatric Hospital Foundation in Florence, and also for the Red Cross and the Misericordia charity in Vicopisano, where he lives. More than 20,000 euros had already been donated before setting to Saudi Arabia.
- Bini’s approach is not about the end ranking but pure passion and sharing. R Team have accompanied him for over a decade and they now bring him to a first Dakar Classic participation in 2026.
DM
- Daniele Manoni’s racing adventures already took him to the Dakar, with a maiden participation in the Classic event in 2023, and to home success at the Italian Baja, where he’s a navigator alongside Simone Grossi.
- His first adventure in the Saudi desert, with Stefano Moro, amazed him. It was a feast for the eyes and the duo made it to the end (30th). But Manoni thought it was just a one-off…
- It was Renato Rickler, the manager of R Team, who convinced Manoni to bring his experience and resilience back to the Dakar Classic, aboard Michele Bini’s Mitsubishi L200.
طموح
M.B.: “I've always done off-roading at an amateur level, but in 2013 I got to know the Ralliart team in Viareggio and with them I was able to approach things in an increasingly professional manner. I've competed in races in Greece, Italy, Romania and Hungary. I've never chased results but I always wanted to pursue my passion for off-roading, which ultimately led me to found the Sport e Solidarietà project for the Dakar.
Every time I'm in a racing car, I feel privileged. So, I felt the need to do something concrete for people who are perhaps a little less fortunate, especially children, because at the races I did in Hungary, near the start of the special stages, there are often children running to come and see the racing car. So when I got home, wanting to do something concrete, I started to raise funds for the Meyer Paediatric Hospital Foundation in Florence, and also for the Red Cross and the Misericordia charity in Vicopisano, where I live. This project has made me grow a lot and allowed me to believe in myself more. It was a very ambitious, very broad project, sometimes even beyond my capabilities, but let's say that by setting important goals, we manage to grow. It has involved many people from the beginning and ultimately allowed us to raise significant funds, especially when we consider that it is a young project that was born simply from an idea I had.
My goals for the 2026 Dakar are to start and finish it, to do it all the way. Then, of course, during the race, I will gain experience in driving techniques, navigation techniques, etc. If I get a good result, that's fine, but I'm approaching my first Dakar with a lot of humility and a great desire to learn.”
D.M.: “Renato [Rickler, head of R Team] called me and told me he needed a navigator. I thought about it and said no at first, but he called again and he managed to convince me. I'm attracted by the adventure and the personal challenge of completing the Dakar.
From my first participation, I have strong memories of the emotions I experienced every moment of the race, every time I looked up to see outside. I got really excited about what I saw.
This year I expect to do more dunes than in my previous participation. We did few because of the car we had, we didn't know it very well and we didn't trust it, so we often chose to get around. This year, I'd like to bring my past experience and my ability to adapt to situations. The goal is to smile, even if there are difficulties. Whatever happens, it will be a success.”
