“More advantages to be in Saudi Arabia”

Vladimir Vasilyev returns to the Dakar with a clear desire for revenge. He had become one of the rising figures of the rally capturing a great 5th place in 2015 and even clinching his first ever stage win that year while being part of the X-Raid team. He then changed cars and teams for the 2016 edition managing to reach the finish in his Toyota Hilux in 8th spot, yet another great performance. After a two-year break, his last two appearances, in South America and then in Saudi Arabia, lasted only three days. The 2020 edition even finished in flames for his Mini. Still part of the X-Raid squad, he’ll this time be joined by a new codriver, Dmitro Tsyro who used to compete with Dennis Krotov (15th and 17th of the last two Dakar rallies). Both men had the opportunity to get used to each other during three rounds of the shortened FIA baja season that ended in Ha’il where the Dakar will stop for the rest day.

VV: “Of course we weren’t able to see much of the Dakar last year but I believe it’ll be a good place for the future. For us I believe there are more advantages. It isn’t as hot as before and we are on the same time difference as Moscow and we don’t need to adapt once there or arrive well in advance. The work of the navigator has now become much harder on the Dakar with the road book being given only in the morning. It’s a lot tougher but it makes things fairer. Had it not been for our incident on day 3 (car in flames), I think we would have managed a good Dakar.”