MARTIN MACIK
(cze) 1.89m / 90kgHobbies
Anything with an engine, basketball
Sponsors
IVAR CS, Silmet, MM Technology, Seyfor
2022: 7th
2021: 4th
2020: 5th
2019: Ab. Stage 5
2018: 5th
2017: 10th
2016: 19th
2015: Ab. Stage 5
2014: 13th (navigator for Vlastimil Vildman)
2013: 18th (navigator for Vlastimil Vildman)
2022: Baja Aragon (3rd), Rallye du Maroc (1st)
2021: Baja Aragon (1st), Rallye du Maroc (3rd)
2020: Baja Poland (2nd), Baja Drawsko (1st)
2019: Baja Aragon (1st), Baja Poland (1st), Rallye du Maroc (2nd)
2018: Baja Aragon (2nd), Baja Poland (1st), Rallye du Maroc (1st)
2017: Baja Aragon (1st), Baja Poland (1st), El Chott Rally Tunisia (1st)
2016: Baja Drawsko (1st), Baja Poland (2nd), Hungarian Baja (3rd), Baja Aragon (4th)
2015: Baja Drawsko (1st), Baja Poland (1st), Hungarian Baja (2nd), Baja Bohemia (2nd), Baja Aragon (3rd)
2014: Hungarian Baja (1st), Baja Aragon (4th)
2013: Silk Way Rally (7th)
“It feels like the racing spirit will be back”
In the absence of the mighty Kamaz, it's going to be a fascinating Dakar in the trucks but Martin Macik has enough experience to know that conquering the world's toughest rally will be anything but straightforward. In his 11th Dakar, the 33-year-old has a golden opportunity to become the first Czech winner since the late, great Karel Loprais in 2001, but he will still face stiff competition from the likes of Janus van Kasteren, Martin van den Brink and Karel's nephew Ales Loprais. Martin began his Dakar career as a navigator for Vlastimil Vildman in 2013, getting behind the wheel himself in 2015 and coming as high as fourth in 2021. For this 2023 edition, he will no longer be competing for the Big Shock Racing team he set up with his father Martin Sr six years ago. Instead he will be running under the MM Technology banner, driving a brand-new truck with a brand-new colour scheme: orange and black, instead of his customary yellow and black. It's been another busy year at the MM Technology workshops in Sedlcany, with Martin's team also building a new truck for Italian driver Claudio Bellina. At the Dakar, they will be providing support for the Firemen Dakar team and Kees Koolen, the man they helped lift the World Rally-Raid Championship title in 2022. Martin is convinced that his new machine, nicknamed ‘Čenda’, is one of the best his team has ever built. With his usual wingmen Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda, the charismatic Czech is now hoping to make it a Dakar to remember as he goes in search of that elusive victory.
M.M.: “This will be a different Dakar, but not only because Kamaz aren't there. Everyone's talking about it. If I had a euro for every time someone has said, “You're going to win!”... It's Dakar! It's not that easy to win a rally that lasts 15 days and 10,000 kilometres. You need to survive it first, race it with no problems. It's not as easy as it looks! It will be up and down every day. I'm really looking forward to it, because nobody knows anything, nobody can predict anything. I'm sensing a bit of relief from the competitors; it feels like the racing spirit will be back. Everyone is happy to be racing against each other, but still to be friendly and enjoying it together. We've built two new trucks at MM Technology, nicknamed Čenda and Jenda; Bellina will have Jenda and we'll be in Čenda. They're the best two trucks we've ever built. It was so fun driving at the Rallye du Maroc. When everything went to plan, I was able to go unbelievably fast. We won in Morocco, which is always great of course. We wanted to win the W2RC too, but unfortunately -and I suppose fortunately, because we support him- Kees Koolen won it, so everybody did a good job. Kees could have beaten me in Morocco, which proves that last year's truck is as competitive as the new one. The biggest difference is that our truck is new. All the materials are new, everything's in the best possible shape. We had to make some changes to the engine. We had some problems at last year's Dakar that cost us a top five overall, maybe even a top three. It was really annoying because we couldn't race with 100% power. It's my 11th Dakar but I'm only 33, man! I want to do my best. I'm going there to race, and I want to be as good as I can be."
Vehicle
MM TECHNOLOGY
IVECO POWERSTAR
MM TECHNOLOGY
- Mark IVECO
- Model POWERSTAR
- Performance tuner -
- Assistance MM Technology
- Class T5.1: Prototype Cross-Country Trucks
Ranking 2023
All news of M. Macik
W2RC: Al Attiyah and Loeb deadlocked as Kevin Benavides gains an edge
CARS: Al Attiyah wins, but Loeb comes out ahead Sébastien Loeb is not the type who needs to be told twice. Last year, after his hopes of Dakar victory went up in smoke, the Frenchman went on the hunt for high finishes in specials, which awarded from 5 to 1 points to the top 5 of each stage. His aim was to make up the 10 points separating the winner of the Dakar,...
Macík ahead at the halfway point
Martin Macík leads at km 68. The Czech is putting 27" into Jaroslav Valtr and 36" into Pascal de Baar. Janus van Kasteren, trailing by about two minutes in the stage, is closing in on the title.
Macík is the winner
Martin Macík claimed his fifth triumph in this Dakar, beating Janus van Kasteren by nearly 3'30" and Jaroslav Valtr by over 10 minutes. Martin van Brink's bad luck should catapult Macík to second place overall, albeit 1 h 16 behind Van Kasteren.
A long stop for Macík
On the final straight to the finish, Martin Macík was held up for approximately twenty minutes. The Czech has resumed the stage and should reach the finishing line soon, but this episode could cost him dearly in the general rankings.
Macík moves up a place
After 142 km, Martin Van Den Brink is still the quickest. Janus Van Kasteren has achieved the second-best provisional time, less than one minute behind his countryman. Mitchel Van Den Brink occupies third place, trailing by 3’44’’. For the moment, Martin Macík is at the foot of the day’s podium, 5’35’’ behind the current...
Macík takes control
After losing over 50 minutes stuck in the mud yesterday, Martin Macík is out for revenge today. The Czech has posted the fastest time so far at km 29, half a minute ahead of Pascal de Baar. Martin van den Brink is third, within a minute of Macík. The first man on the road, Janus van Kasteren, is conceding about 1'45".
Macík down in the mud
Martin Macík's comeback in the general standings came to an abrupt halt 136 km into yesterday's special, when the Czech, opening the road in his Iveco, got stuck in the mud, costing him an hour. Yesterday's winner, Janus van Kasteren, will be opening today's special ahead of Pascal de Baar and Jaroslav Valtr.
Macík loses 53 minutes!
Martin Macík, who was in the process of making a fine comeback in the general rankings, has lost time after 136 km. The Czech driver’s Iveco remained at a standstill for plenty of time, just like Dutchman Martin Van Den Brink. The result is that Van Den Brink has lost 40 minutes whilst Macík has lost more than 53 minutes!
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