Almost unbeatable debut of Eduard Pons at the Dakar. In his absolute debut in the toughest race in motorsport, the Catalan driver and his co-driver Jaume Betriu have qualified 10th in the SSV category. A very encouraging result for the team Pons Rallysport, which aspires to get into the top 5 of the category. And that despite the fact that it is not only the debut of Pons in the Dakar, it is also the first participation as a co-pilot of Betriu, who had previously competed twice the motorcycle Dakar.
In the special 27 kilometers, the driver of Lleida has yielded only one minute and 14 seconds to SSV's best time. “We made a good prologue, with a good pace, although we expected something even a little better,” Pons acknowledges. “But already on kilometer 8 we reached the vehicle that came out in front of us and has made it difficult for us to pass. Amid so much dust, we have taken 6 or 7 kilometers to be able to advance it, but the tenth position is optimal to start”, he values. In fact, the outcome of the prologue only served to establish the order of departure of the first stage of competition, this Saturday 6th, and did not count for the purposes of the general classification.
The most positive part of the day has been that the first contact with the Dakar has confirmed the competitiveness and solidity of the team, which has the assistance of the prestigious structure South Racing. “We are already in the Dakar; a dream has come true,” says the ilerdense, who started the Pons Rallysport’s “Road to Dakar” project in 2021 and has accumulated 14,000 kilometers timed in these three years to prepare for this great event.
“We are very hopeful because the car is going very well, the penetration within the team is maximum and we have the morale at 200%. We have been able to see that we have a good suspension adjustment and that the compromise with the tyres we use, more of a rally type, is quite good; we have liked the tires very much”, explains Pons.
Although this prologue stage was almost a process in view of what awaits the participants in the next few days, the special was not lacking in difficulties. “In 95% it was soft sand, with some stones, many rods and always between guns. The special was very complicated and a lot of people have been lost, but we didn't. Jaume’s navigation has been excellent,” Pons assures, with a touch of complicity addressed to his partner in the cabin of the Can-Am Maverick X3 number 407.
This Saturday, the first stage of the Dakar competition will take the caravan from Al-Ula to Al Henakiyah. The tour is 544 kilometers long, including a special 414 kilometers, mainly by land slopes, stones and some sand. “We will have to press where we can and be conservative in the most broken areas”, adventures Betriu, knowing that the Dakar is a long-distance race in which resistance prevails.
Automatic translation of the original Spanish version available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: Pons Rally Sport's official press release
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