“The extra pressure keeps us sharp”

Janus van Kasteren junior has years of rally raid and offroad experience but entering the Dakar wasn’t a logical step. He had enjoyed driving a truck and a SSV in the Morocco Desert Challenge and Baja Aragon, but that was about it: a hobby, one week a year, as he is busy enough in his company Boss Machinery, trading big machines for the building and construction industry. After two years with Mammoet Rallysport Van Kasteren has now changed to Team De Rooy, where he is one of the aces (together with his friend Vick Versteijnen) to fight for the podium. Business, a baby and a kidney infarct kept Van Kasteren away from doing other rally’s, but he and his crew are well prepared to attack in the 2020 Dakar.

J.v.K.: “We’ve gained a lot of experience in the previous editions. We have showed that we are capable of good results. Stepping up to Team De Rooy was the logical next step to me, although the pressure and expectations are a lot higher now. I don’t mind that bit of extra pressure and adrenaline. It keeps us sharp. After two DNF’s our first goal is of course to reach the finish. In addition, it is indeed the intention to regularly show up at the top of the rankings and fight for the podium. I have a lot of confidence in the team and the truck. I bring my own team with me in the truck: navigator Erwin van den Bosch and mechanic Frank van Hoof. We have years of experience in several rallies and it just fits very well together.”