Finally a Powerstar

Finally a dream comes true for Dutchman Ton van Genugten: he enters the 2018 Dakar at the wheel of an Iveco Powerstar, the one with the nose. After finishing in fifth in 2016, while serving as fast assistance on the track for winner Gerard de Rooy, he had hoped he could have such a truck last year already. Instead he got the chance to go for his own chances, without having to wait or stop for De Rooy. It didn’t work out as planned, as Van Genugten got stuck in the mud in the early stages of the Dakar, losing over three hours. This year the situation is completely different in several ways. Without the team captain, Ton van Genugten is the single Dutchman to defend the honours of Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco. Having gained a lot of experience in the Silk Way Rally last summer and with the experienced Belgian navigator Peter Willemsen (formerly with Martin van den Brink) and mechanic Bernard der Kinderen (winner of the 2007 Dakar with Hans Stacey) at his side, Van Genugten aims for nothing less as the podium.

T.V.G.: “Technically the Iveco Powerstar isn’t any different to the Trakker I had for the last two years. But because of its nose, the torpedo truck is much easier to drive fast with. I’ve been testing with this truck for quite a while now and it feels so much more comfortable. For sure I wished to have one last year already, but having the opportunity to go for my own chances was a big challenge already. Unfortunately it didn’t work out, but we’ve learned a lot. Part of the success in the Dakar is having the best possible material at your disposal and now we have that, as the Powerstar has proven to be a winning truck: fast and reliable. After finishing fifth two years ago with the Trakker, while having to wait and stop, my goal has to be to finish in the top 3 now.”