The Czech duo Ondřej Klymčiw and Petr Vlček are in fifth place with the Škoda 130 LR after the middle of the 43rd Dakar Rally 2021 in the Classic rating. In this category are cars that took part in the Dakar until the year 2000, or took part in the World Rally Championship in Group B.
Crews are not evaluated according to the time achieved, but they are to be classified according to regularity driving. They have itineraries, designated points on the track of each stage, which must be reached at a specified time. Points are charged for early or late arrivals. The fewer points, the better the result and ranking.
Dakar Director David Castera said: “Classic vehicles will race against the clock, not against them. These vehicles still have something to tell us and are in good condition to stand in the Saudi desert. “
The axles are fine
Crews of historical specials share the same bivouac with all participants in the competition. Originally, they were not to go through the same demanding stages as all other categories with regard to the technical and performance characteristics of cars, in order to avoid mechanical problems. However, for example, on the fourth day, a portion of 960 kilometers awaited them, which is a distance that even the latest current specials did not cover. “After thirteen hours of driving, I sat on the metal steps of the accompanying car, and I felt like I was sitting in a comfortable chair,” Klymchiw said.
In the first stage, the Czech crew wandered a bit, once narrowly missed a running camel, with a weaker engine, they even managed to overtake a Mercedes Benz G-Class and, unfortunately, also fell into the sand. “This is really the right Dakar with everything,” Ondřej said after the third stage and continued: “With a Mitsubishi ATV, I would probably never jump where I sent the Škoda. We bent both arms of the rear axles, but the mechanics put everything together perfectly. Everything holds everything, “said Klymčiw after the third stage late at night in the background of the team.
The rules are a little different
In the bivouac after the fourth stage, the Czech competitor added an interesting explanation about the rules. “Originally, we thought we had to be on the right meter at a given point at a given point, but that’s not enough. It is also important to keep a constant average speed between individual points, for which we received a lot of penalty points. However, I have the impression that we are all learning the rules here as we go.
Each day is for the crew of the Dakar Classic is divided into several sections. On the fifth day, it was divided into four sections. “We had two successful sections, one decent and unfortunately the fourth unsuccessful one erased the previous good results. Unfortunately, there were no fields in the itinerary, but unfortunately the organizers did not solve it. In addition, the display in the car is very small and difficult to read from it, “says navigator Petr Vlček.
The sixth stage became the most successful for the Klymčiv Racing crew so far. In the individual parts, they were fourth, sixth and first, and overall, the win was in the stage. In the standings, the Czechs moved to fifth place in the competition of 24 crews, which started in the first stage and all are still going! “After the rains, there was a lot of hardened sand on the track. I tried to drive carefully, even though I swept one hole quite roughly in one place, “said Klymčiw, adding:” The checkpoints were chopped by two or three hundred meters. I have it over my head, but we won and we will continue to fight, “commented Ondřej Klymčiw, who was obviously tired.
Running order: 1. Douton, Etienne (Buggy Sunhill 1979) 587 points; 2. Donatiu, Serrat Puig 1363; 3. F. and J. Verdaguer (Buggy Sunhill 1982/1983) 2940; 4. Harichoury, Fertin, Correia (Renault Trucks 420 DCI) 4449; 5. Klymčiw, Vlček (Czech Republic / Škoda 130 LR) 5201; 6. Revuelta, Sanchez Hernandez (Šp. / Toyota Land Crusier) 5464.
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