Martin Šoltys' Tatra climbed the hills like a chamois
The participants of the Dakar Rally endured another challenging day. Aliyyah Koloc, racing in Buggyra ZM Racing colors, finished 27th in today's demanding eighth stage in the elite Ultimate car category, moving up to 28th place overall. Martin Šoltys, from Tatra Buggyra ZM Racing, finished fifth in the stage and defended his fourth place in the overall standings. His teammate, Karel Poslední, achieved best-ever finish in his Dakar debut. He finished tenth today and currently sits 14th among the truck drivers.
Aliyyah Koloc crossed the finish line exhausted but pleased with the result she achieved in her Red-Lined EVO T1+ car. "It was okay. The track was very much about top speed, and we lack that without the turbo. This stage wasn't suited to us, but otherwise, we drove well. It's behind us now, and we have another stage tomorrow," said the 20-year-old driver.
Martin Šoltys struggled most with the ever-present dust during today's stage. "The stage was quite tiring and long. We started from the back, so we really struggled behind the Can-Ams. We were overtaking them in the dust, one after another. The first half was nothing but dust. In the end, though, we finished fifth, so I'm satisfied," said the driver of the Tatra Buggyra EVO3 truck.
"It was a long day, but it was perfect; we didn’t get out of the car the entire time," said on-board mechanic Tomáš Šikola enthusiastically.
However, he did recall one particularly dramatic moment: "One climb was really dangerous. On some kind of white rocks, there was a major incline.. I was worried that we might roll over because the car slipped into a small canyon. The Tatra was doing incredible things, but it kept climbing. It's unbelievable what that truck can handle," marveled the experienced mechanic.
Rookie Karel Poslední celebrated his first top-ten stage finish at the Dakar today. "Top 10, amazing! I've been waiting for this the whole time. I’m gradually improving and gaining experience. Every day, I feel more comfortable with the car, and now we're really starting to work well together," said the Tatra Phoenix driver with a smile.
Source: Buggyra Racing
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