“I would tell any debutants to just enjoy every moment”

It has been 30 years since Zhang Min first discovered motorsport, and as he prepares to make his seventh outing at the Dakar, the flame of his passion is still burning brightly. The 46-year-old from Yunnan Province in China started out in motocross and eventually discovered offroad racing. He has been competing with his teammates and “brothers” Zhao Hongyi and Zakeer Yakefu since the mid-2000s, securing podium finishes at some of China's biggest events. Zhang and Zhao both lined up for their maiden Dakar together in 2017, but an unreliable Zongshen bike forced them to withdraw almost immediately. Further frustration followed for Zhang at Dakar 2018, where he retired due to engine failure on Stage 10, but he finally cracked the code and claimed his first finisher’s medal in 2019. He has gone all the way in his three appearances since then, only missing Dakar 2021 because of Covid-19 restrictions. He had another frustrating spin at Dakar 2023, as mechanical issues dropped him down to 88th overall, but he still relished the experience. And with the team’s usual reliable support from SDS Pro Race, there's no reason to suspect Zhang won’t be standing on the finishers' podium again in Yanbu on 19 January.

“In 1993, I was skipping class and I saw a motocross race. I thought it looked interesting, so I joined in, and that’s how it all got started. Zhao Hongyi and I grew up together and started participating in rallies against Zack in 2007. We are very good brothers. In 2023, I only did the Dakar. But due to a mechanical malfunction, I failed to finish a stage. After the mechanic repaired the bike for me, I returned to the rally again, and running the entire distance was a very enjoyable thing. Now I hope to successfully complete Dakar 2024 and have some fun. I would tell any debutants this year to just enjoy every moment!"