“It will be a more technical and tougher Dakar”

Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez won the world SSV T3 Prototypes category championship in Andalusia last October, 15 years after winning the two-wheel crown in 2006. The Chilean is one of the biggest South American stars of the discipline and has lifted the Dakar Touareg trophy in the SSV category in 2019, 2021 and 2022. “Chaleco” made his debut in 2007 when the rally was still navigating the African sands. In his seven motorbike participations from 2007 to 2014, he twice finished on the podium with third-place results in 2010 and 2013. In 2011 he finished fourth, while the remaining four ended in retirement, totalling 11 stage victories. After a five-year hiatus, the Curicó native returned to the Dakar in 2019 in a new category, the side-by-side, making a quick adaptation and winning the title in the edition held in Peru. In 2020, in Saudi Arabia, he took third place with two stage victories. In 2021, “Chaleco” showed an exceptional level, winning in two categories: light vehicles and SSV, with 5 stage victories. He took the lead on stage 6, then lost the lead due to a mechanical failure, but regained it on stage 9 and never looked back. In 2022, facing Red Bull racers Cristina Gutierrez and Seth Quintero, “Chaleco” didn't even need a stage victory to return to the top step of the T3 podium. After winning the championship, the Chilean idol is now concentrating full-time on the Dakar and is looking forward to the 2023 calendar, which will include two events in the Americas: Mexico and Argentina. Juan Pablo Latrach -who is making his tenth Dakar appearance after a year in which he also competed at the international level- completes the formula to go for another victory with a Can-Am XRS in one of the most competitive categories.

F.L.C.: “The world championship is very important. I won it in 2006 on a motorbike, and now, 15 years later, I won it again, but on four wheels. The championship started with the Dakar and gained a lot of momentum. In the beginning, I wasn't planning to do all the events, but since I won the Dakar 2022, I scored maximum points. So I continued to compete, first in Abu Dhabi, where I did very well, then Morocco and Andalusia. Unlike other years, it has become a very competitive category because of the number of youngsters taking part, most of them with a lot of desire and talent, so in 2023 both the Dakar and the World Cup will be very challenging. The good news is that we will have two rounds in America: Mexico, and Argentina, which for us is very motivating.
“This is going to be a longer edition. We will have to take much more care of the equipment, as it will be hotter. In theory, it will be a more technical Dakar, with less speed, a lot more dunes and off-road sections. I think the opening week will be key for us to have a chance to be at the sharp end of the order. The stages, I think, will be much more difficult than in previous years”.


J.P.L.: “Although after the Dakar I couldn't do the entire championship with Chaleco, I competed in Abu Dhabi and Morocco with Hernán Garcés, with good results. After Chaleco won the championship, we intensified our training in the dunes in November and December. Co-driving for him in the dunes is fascinating. Once he receives a bearing, he knows exactly where he must go while I calculate the fastest route.”
“I am very comfortable with the new Dakar regulations. With the digital roadbook, which has been standard for the past three years, we go to bed earlier, and the conditions are equal for everyone. As for the Can-Am, it's an amazing car. South Racing improved the suspension after the Dakar, and the car is getting stronger and stronger. Objective? Chaleco has two Dakar victories and a world championship. He is the man to beat. It's not crazy to say that we are going for a third consecutive Dakar victory.”