“If I can correct mistakes and keep calm, I can win the Dakar”

José Ignacio Cornejo Florimo will never forget the 2021 Dakar. The rider from Iquique was leading the general classification and was second on stage 10, one minute behind Ricky Brabec when he suffered a hard fall at km 252 of the special, and, although he managed to complete the stage, he decided to abandon the rally in agreement with the medical team. “Nacho” describes the crash as “a rookie mistake”, but beyond his self-criticism, the rise of this young rider is undoubtedly extraordinary. His racing career took a turn before the 2018 Dakar when José Ignacio decided to retire for financial reasons. A few days before the start in Lima, he received a call from the Honda Team to replace the injured Paulo Gonçalves. Until then, his only participation had been in the 2016 Dakar, where he retired on stage 5. “Nacho” made the most of this exceptional opportunity, and he rode error-free to finish 10th. In the 2019 Dakar, he worked hard to improve that position and achieved a well-deserved 8th place. Now firmly established as a factory Monster Energy Honda Team rider, the Chilean put in a sensational performance in 2020. He took two stage victories, one on the final day, holding off Ricky Brabec and fighting for places with Matthias Walkner and Luciano Benavides. On the 2021 Dakar, although he lost his chances of victory in the crash, “Nacho” has proved he can fight for the lead, and it allows him to return with his motivation intact to compete in his sixth Dakar, in the renewed atmosphere of the Honda team with the addition of fellow Chilean and friend Pablo Quintanilla.

J.I.C.F.: “As far as my preparation is concerned, I am fit and have trained normally for several months now. The team is doing a great job. I know the CRF very well. I've been riding it for several years, and its strong point is the suspension. As for the route, the Arabian desert is stunning. This year we will have a lot of sand, which I like, but the truth is that there will be more dunes than last year. I think that will be fantastic because it will put more demands on both the rider and the bike".
"Do I think I can win? Yes, I can, by correcting mistakes and keeping calm. Many things have to happen to win the Dakar. I also have at least ten rivals among my three teammates and the KTM, Husqvarna, Gas Gas and Yamaha riders”.