Pilot Martin Macik, navigator Frantisek Tomasek and mechanic David Svanda from the MM Technology team won an excellent 2nd place at Dakar 2023, reaching the finish line of the last stage in 6th position. The tight-knit crew in the unbreakable Cenda truck, which was built by team mechanics and designers under the leadership of Martin Macik Sr., the head of MM Technology, celebrates the success they have worked towards for 11 years and behind which there is a lot of work. Not even burning wheels, a river winding in the middle of the desert, or driving over the huge dunes of the Empty Quarter stopped the riders from Sedlcany on the track. At Dakar 2023, the MM Technology team won four stages and won the prologue. Huge credit goes to the mechanics and other members for their commitment, professional work, sleepless nights, insight, and eternal optimism. Thank you to everyone who believed in the success of the guys from MM Technology and their orange machine. Thank you, our fans, you are the best fans in the world – willing, open, with a sense of humor who can support us every time. We thank the families for their patience, tolerance, and strong nerves. We thank our lovely partners, whom we greatly appreciate.
We are happy!
“We did it. We are at the finish line, and we are overjoyed. We are at second place overall. It’s thanks to our whole team, who are absolutely amazing. Everyone here in the cabin sends their thanks to the families back home, thanks a lot to all our brilliant fans, thanks to our sponsors. It was definitely the roughest Dakar in Saudi Arabia, we are glad that we experienced it, that we showed how reliable technology we can build in Sedlcany,” said a tired Martin Macik at the finish line, who admitted that bigger emotions will probably come later. “Even the last stage was not completely for free. The track was bumpy, wet, and muddy, it was slippery. We flew at our safe pace. The waypoints were stacked one after the other,” described navigator Frantisek Tomasek. “Martin originally wanted to race more in the last stage, but Frantisek and I didn’t want to lose the axle,” laughs on-board mechanic David Svanda. And so, the final drama took place only after the crew reached the finish line – in the online race classification system, where faulty data suddenly started popping up. In the end, everything turned out well, but the Dakar was exciting until the very end.
Now we will enjoy the Dakar with the fans
The current year of the Dakar was really challenging, longer than the previous ones, with capricious weather, two marathon stages, full of hardships and joys. That’s also why 2nd place is so valuable. The events that the crew experienced during 2 demanding weeks were so many that they could talk about them for hours. And they will do exactly that! The next stage of the crew will lead to the fans. Shortly after returning to the Czech Republic, in February and March, Martin, Frantisek and David will travel all over the Czech Republic to meet the fans and enjoy this year’s legendary rally with them again at the Dakar Obsessed events. “Frantisek writes everything down in a notebook. Because we’ve experienced so much that it’s impossible to remember. We have to put it all together calmly. And we look forward to seeing you,” says Martin Macik.
The MM Technology team members will now enjoy a festive podium and then a quick packing of all the machinery. They are flying home already on Monday evening.
