The Big Shock! Racing team is busy preparing for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the second event of the World Rally-Raid Championship, after the Dakar Rally. Some of the race trucks have moved from Saudi Arabia to Dubai after the Dakar. And the mechanics from Sedlcany will soon arrive to get the racing specials in perfect shape before the start. The first tests are also planned to take place. In the meantime, the production and development of new racing vehicles are underway in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, fans all over the Czech Republic are enjoying stories from this year’s world’s toughest rally in the “Obsessed with Dakar” talk shows with the driver Martin Macik and navigator Frantisek.

Arnold returned to Sedlcany from Dakar, Charles was parked in Dubai

On Wednesday, some of the racing equipment returned from Saudi Arabia to Sedlcany. Mechanics picked up Arnold, in which Martin Soltys competed in Dakar, from the port in Marseille. Vincenzo, the Italtrans Racing team’s vehicle, also arrived, as well as most of the IVECO assistance cars. “Everything went quite smoothly. Some unexpected complications occurred, such as forgotten keys to the extensions, so we had to improvise a bit. The cars seem to have survived the voyage just fine,” the mechanic David Svanda reported. MM Technology’s technical facilities are now starting to come back to life too. Arnold is due for some technical adjustments. At the same time, the construction of a completely new Dakar truck is starting. The race truck built for Project 2030, expected to compete in the Dakar in the future fully on electric drive, will also undergo further development.

Another race coming up!

In the meantime, the other trucks of the Big Shock! Racing team and Project 2030 have arrived in the United Arab Emirates for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge from March 4 to March 10. The trucks, called Charles and Nicias, were sent to Dubai right after the end of the Dakar, so they are still waiting for complete servicing before the start. A team of mechanics from Sedlcany will arrive one week in advance and will make sure that both specials are ready for the race. “At the moment, we have already rented a space in Dubai where both trucks are stored. We are sending a pallet of spare parts and other equipment from the Czech Republic to the site by air. There is a new axle for Charles, and the engine will also undergo some changes. During the race in Abu Dhabi, we want to test software modifications, new chassis settings, and changes to the gearbox,” the head of MM Technology and the Big Shock! Racing team, Martin Macik, Sr., explained. The Czech drivers are delighted that the World Cup series will allow them to race throughout the year. “We have five challenging days of racing ahead of us. The track will be mainly sand and the navigation will be the same as in Dakar. From the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, we will cross over to the Empty Quarter deserts. This is the first year there will be trucks in the race, and we are one of the pioneers in this category. We are looking forward to it, and we believe that other truck crews will gradually join us,” the driver, Martin Macik, said.

“Obsessed with Dakar” are heading to Prague, Pilsen and Budejovice

Before the crew of the yellow truck, consisting of the driver Martin Macik, navigator Frantisek Tomasek, and onboard mechanic David Svanda, takes to the track again, they will meet fans at the “Obsessed with Dakar” talks. In addition to 7th place and two podium stage finishes, the team has brought back a documentary and a lot of stories from the Dakar, which they now laugh about together with their fans at events held all over the country. Martin and Tomas will fly to Abu Dhabi immediately after one of the talk shows. “Frantisek and I will be able to meet the fans on March 2 and 3 in Pilsen and Ceske Budejovice. But on the 4th, we will get on a plane and the following day, we will race in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge,” Martin Macik said. Immediately after the desert adventure, on March 15, the final Big Shock! Racing team talk will take place at the Congress Centre in Prague. The result of the second World Cup race is still a mystery, but Martin, Frantisek and David will surely bring back new experiences that they will be happy to share with their fans.

Talk show details can be found here: www.posedlidakarem.cz

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