“You have to focus on everything, and you need good luck”

Since his first Dakar participation in 2017, Zhao Hongyi has been going from strength to strength and helping to grow the popularity of rally raid back home in China. Along with most of his teammates, he was let down by an unreliable Zongshen machine on his debut three years ago, but returned in 2018 to complete the rally with the Daming Racing Team. He went a step further at Dakar 2019, achieving an even better overall result in the gruelling Original by Motul class, where he placed seventh. The host of a TV show dedicated to motorsport, the 39-year-old is one of China's brightest talents on the rally raid scene, although he suffered an unfortunate injury at this year's Taklimakan Rally. He has managed to recover sufficiently to take part in this first Dakar on Saudi Arabian soil, but he has decided he is not sharp enough to have another go at Original by Motul. Instead, he will be looking to enjoy himself in his fourth participation and make it through to the finish line with teammates Zhang Min and Zaker Yakp.

"I've been training hard and hoping to complete new challenges. New experience is so valuable to me. The Original by Motul class last year was really hard. It's a very different rhythm. You have to focus on everything, and you need good luck. I was fortunate enough to finish the race. When we went back to China after the Dakar, all of our friends were proud of us. And in the world of motorbikes, everyone paid us a lot of attention and wanted to hear our stories. Unfortunately, I accidentally injured myself at the biggest rally in China in 2019. It's my first serious injury in a decade. I broke four ribs and it was right next to my spine. I'm looking forward to competing in the Dakar in a new country, Saudi Arabia, but because of my injury my body won't allow me to compete in the Original by Motul category. My goal is to finish the race with my teammates and enjoy the game."