N°906 Classic MOTORTECNICA RACING TEAM

CORRADO PATTONO

(ita) 1.78m / 65kg

Aficiones

Motorsports, desert explorations

Interview

“The fun is in the challenge”

Corrado Pattono is an essential figure of the Dakar. Especially for Stefano Calzi’s Motortecnica Racing Team and his two partners for the 2024 edition, Piermarco Acerni and Gianluca Ianni. For two decades, Pattono has been roaming the desert by truck, except for one participation by bike. It only felt natural for him, a bike dealer, but he had to exit the race with a shoulder fracture. It was far from enough to deter this desert enthusiast, used to all sorts of explorations with all sorts of vehicles. The Dakar Classic will see him drive a Man for the first time as he provides rapid support for Motortecnica. By his side, Piermarco Acerni is used to custom engineer extraordinary cars and he’s ready to step up and share the driving for his second participation. As for Gianluca Ianni, his first participation dates back to 2012, supporting the Totani brothers. He returned in 2022, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this first alongside his friends. But he feels like a “stagiaire” next to Pattono.


C.P.: “The Dakar is a drug. When I discovered this atmosphere, I couldn’t stay home anymore. I’m getting older and I seize the opportunities I can. I moved to the Dakar Classic but I still have the same role, driving the truck and providing rapid support. I am a mechanics so I make the most of this experience for Stefano Calzi. Pilots pay a fee for me to ensure the assistance and it gives me a budget to participate. And I hope for a challenging race, the fun is the challenge!”


G.I.: “The Dakar gives me adrenaline. With the increased experience, we’re getting a better grasp of the event. And as we say in Italy, ‘appetite comes with eating’. Corrado has done dozens… I’m kind of a stagiaire by his side! And it will be my first time doing the Dakar with a truck, so it’s a new experience I had to take on.
As a navigator, I’m used to spending my time checking the roadbook and the instruments. So I hope that with three people in the truck, I’ll have a bit more time to look outside and enjoy the landscapes, the hidden gems in the nature… And the marathon stage gets me closer to my personal experiences driving through the desert. There won’t be the commodities of the bivouac and I’m looking forward to such an experience.”



P.A.: “The Dakar is a beautiful and fantastic adventure that I’ve followed since I was a kid. Then, I focused on some other fields in off road racing but the opportunity came in the last years to participate in the Dakar Classic and it’s been an exhilarating experience. I had never faced a race with a truck rather than a car but it’s extremely interesting, I’m fascinated. I’ve done it with a Unimog, and now a Man. What I always enjoyed about off road events is the length. I don’t like sprints, you don’t have time to get a feeling of the vehicle. The Dakar allows you to improve day by day. You can try different strategies, get a better feeling, understand the terrain… It’s a great school.
Two years ago, it was only Corrado and I. He’s a legend, he’s done the Dakar so many times and I learned a lot from him. He is big-hearted. I was navigating but this year Gianluca will handle the navigation and I will share the driving with Corrado, which will make it even more interesting.”

Vehículo

MOTORTECNICA RACING TEAM

MAN 18-285
MOTORTECNICA RACING TEAM

  • MAN
  • 18-285
  • -
  • Motortecnica
  • Classic Truck (Media moderada) > 97

Clasificación 2024

Toute l'actualité de C. Pattono

Resumen - 15/01 19:04 [GMT +3]

Vencidos en la pugna, ¡pero vencedores hoy!

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