“The Dakar will tell you when you can win”

After making a seriously impressive start to life on the Dakar last year, the Goczal family return with even loftier ambitions in 2022. Marek Goczal ended up eighth in the SSVs, while his younger brother Michal stormed to fourth place, just behind the elite trio of Chaleco Lopez, Austin Jones and Aron Domzala. Marek has been racing since he was a teenager, although back then he didn't have the funds to pursue a career in rally and instead chose to focus on his business interests. Now 46, the Pole is a successful entrepreneur who set up his country's biggest theme park, Energylandia, after taking his family to a theme park abroad and wondering why there was nothing similar back home! Following a long break from motorsport, Marek began competing in cross-country events a few years ago, encouraging Michal to get involved as well. Marek's 16-year-old son Eryk is currently competing in the Polish drift championship, and the ultimate family dream -once Eryk is old enough to participate- is to get all three Goczal crews on the Dakar podium. For now, Marek and Michal will be looking to enjoy another successful outing for the Cobant-Energylandia Rally team in the SSVs. They have a better idea what to expect after Dakar 2021, and prepared for the rally by taking part in the Morocco Rally and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Lukasz Laskawiec -a former FIM world champion and Dakar podium finisher in the quads- comes in for the experienced Rafal Marton as Marek's co-driver, and the duo have already shown promise with a second-place finish in the UAE.

M.G.: “I started racing at 17, and I was Polish champion in road rallies, but my budget wasn't big enough to keep going. I also raced Polish cross-country in quads. I think the love of motorsport has been in our family ever since. Last year was our first Dakar, and it wasn't really planned. Our dream was just to reach the finish line, we had no real racing intentions. But now, as we look forward, our biggest family dream is to have three Goczals on the Dakar podium! The ambition is very clear: not just one, but all three on the podium. Then I can think about retiring. We will see what happens on the finish line, but we really want to fight. A very smart person told me your attitude towards the Dakar doesn't matter. The Dakar will tell you when you can win, when you have enough experience. I was told that if I did the Dakar one day, I'd want to race it again and again. They told me the grain of sand would stay in my heart, but after the last Dakar I think it's a whole shovelful of sand! The last Dakar hadn't even finished when I decided I would be back for the next one."