The “Chilean Armada” returns to Dakar 100% Peru

July 31 ^st 2018 - 19:05

Almost five months away from the most important rally raid in the world, the Chilean riders Ignacio Casale and Francisco “Chaleco” López have confirmed their presence in the Dakar Rally 2019. Lopez will compete in the Side by Side category and Casale will take part in the UTV Open.

The event is starting to take shape, with the best drivers and riders in the world competing in the Peruvian desert between 6 and 17 January 2019. Among them, the Chileans Ignacio Casale, Quads champion in 2014 and 2018, and Francisco ‘Chaleco’ López, third in 2010 and 2013 in Bikes. On this occasion both will make up the ‘national armada’!

A total of five thousand kilometres, ten stages, 70% sand and three thousand kilometres of special stages make this Dakar highly attractive, with interest is even greater because Ignacio Casale has confirmed a change of category in his tenth participation in the race and Francisco “Chaleco” López has announced his return to the most extreme competition in motorsport world after a five-year absence.

“This is my tenth time in the Dakar Rally and I want my participation to be special. Yamaha made an offer to me to race in the UTV Open class with the new Yamaha YXZ 1000 turbo. This is a big challenge for me because it is a new class with a lot of well-known competitors from different class.”, says Ignacio Casale.

Likewise, Francisco López says: “I am very motivated and I am very happy to be part of the 2019 Dakar 100% Peru. Being back in the sand is like returning to my natural habitat, both navigating and taking care of the mechanical side like I did for so many years while earning podiums”.

To reach top form, López will have his first test in the Desafío Inca, which returns to the Dakar Series calendar between 14 and 16 September in the Peruvian region of Pisco-Ica.