“This time we both drive 50/50, so that’s a new adventure!”

After an early conclusion to their Dakar adventure in 2022, the Coronel twins - Tom and Tim - return for 2023 with a new car and a new strategy to tackle the Saudi classic. Last year ‘The Beast’ was swapped for the Century CR6, and in 2023 the siblings will ‘go Dutch’ by splitting both driving duties and delivering pace notes equally over the course of the event.

Tim C.: “Dakar for me, it's a way of life. I'm doing this already for 17 years, since 2007. And I’ve never missed one. For us both to split the driving and navigating is something I’m looking forward to. I took Tom to Dakar and that was always the initial plan to do 50/50. I want him to experience what I have experienced. I like this strategy. Also, using the Century CR6 is fantastic and I love this machine. It's nicer, because now you don't have to focus on everything else about the vehicle in advance. The car’s fully tested and ready to go, so we’re ready to complete. It's really nice like this.
Last year was, of course, frustrating. I still have physiotherapy every Thursday but my physiotherapist said no problem to come back, so let’s go. We have another challenge this year as we will run two cars from our team, and we can’t wait to get going! If we’re running in the top twenty I’ll be really satisfied.


Tom C.: “We have done the Dakar together many, many times so there's a lot of experience inside the car. With each other we can discuss matters to a certain level, but sometimes on event we do discuss it with very short words: Sometimes it gets very hot in the car and not just from the heat!
This year I will drive half of the Dakar; Tim has done some navigation practice, on the Andalucia Rally. Every time Tim said we would do it like this, but he never really wanted to do it, but finally I said It’s got to happen! Two years ago I only did two days, just at the start, and Tim got very nervous and said: ‘Tom, is it okay if I drive?’ So this will be a big difference.
The appeal of the Dakar for me is the adventure. There is always different scenery, always the fight between you and your mind, the car, nature, competitors and especially your head. There are two things the organisers want; they want to blow your mind and they want to wreck your car! I love the challenge and adventure of this.”