“Everybody loves the project”

Barbora Holicka and Lucie Engova will be driving one of the most recognisable cars on the bivouac at Dakar 2024. The Czech duo have decided to make their debut in Dakar Classic, and will be driving a Citroën 2CV that they’ve decked out in a kaleidoscope of fluorescent colours with the help of Czech pop artist Josef Rataj. You won’t be able to miss it. Barbora has been racing in the Czech rally championship for over a decade, but she’s new to rally-raid and admits she never expected to line up on the Dakar. Whereas she has no family background in motorsport, her co-driver Lucie Engova comes from proper racing stock. Her father Bretislav Enge had a long career in touring cars, racing for the BMW factory team throughout the 1980s, and later teamed up with Lucie to compete in the Czech rally championship for historic cars. Meanwhile, her brother Tomas Enge -who completed Dakar 2021 in an SSV- is one of the biggest names in Czech motorsport, and the only driver from his country to have raced in Formula 1. Sadly, the head of the Czech Samurais team, Olga Rouckova, was forced to withdraw from Dakar Classic a few weeks ago because her driver, Ondrej Martinec, had to undergo heart surgery. Barbora and Lucie will therefore be representing the team in their 'Duck' - the Czech nickname for the iconic 2CV. Barbora has always raced in a Citroën, and after flirting with the possibility of entering a ZX Rallye-Raid, she decided to pay tribute to 75 years of 2CV production by prepping one -and in some style- for Dakar Classic. The Czech duo will definitely bring a splash of color to this 46th edition, which could pave the way for an appearance in the main Dakar.

B.H.: “I've been doing motorsport for more than 10 years, driving in the Czech rally championship. My family isn’t into motorsport at all, but I always wanted to go to races and see the cars. When I got the opportunity, I put everything into it -no holidays, no shopping! I have a background in traditional rally and I also do hill climb competitions, but cross-country is brand new for me, and the Dakar was something I never imagined. I knew people working there as mechanics, and I used to joke with them ‘Take me with you!’ Then I met Olga, because I organize a smaller version of Dakar Classic back home. I asked her, ‘How it is possible to go to Dakar?’ She told me how it all works because I didn’t know anything... ‘Are there showers, or do you go 20 days in the desert without washing?!’ I came to Dakar 2023 for two days to see her and the team, and I was already planning how to go myself. Olga suggested starting with Dakar Classic, because it’s the easiest way to discover the rally. I was tempted by the ZX Rallye-Raid, but it's impossible to pay for it! Then a friend said, ‘You have to go with the 2CV, that’ll be the best fun’. So I found a 2CV and a specialist mechanic, Tomas. It might have been easier and cheaper to go with another car, but I think it was the right move, because everybody loves the project. There’s an amazing community around this car. The nickname for a 2CV is a 'duck' because it moves like a duck! So this is our Duckar project! And the car is from 1979, which was the year of the first Dakar.”