The Spanish driver (former moto rider) , who has more absolute victories than anyone else on a moto (6), entered for the first time in the Aragonese event in 1991 winning his category riding a TM 125 cc.
This year will be his twentieth participation, his eighth on four wheels, at the wheel of a Toyota Hilux Overdrive, with the support of Repsol, MGS Seguros, KH-7, and Toyota Spain.
"It is a great joy and a privilege to be back in the Baja Aragón one more year because it means that, despite my disability, I continue to enjoy what I like the most and the best lowland event in Europe," says the Repsol Rally Team driver.
The Baja España Aragón 2021 will be very special for Isidre Esteve, as it was in this event where he made his debut as a motorcycle racer just 30 years ago. Since then, the rider from Oliana has a special relationship with the Aragonese race, in which he holds the record of victories in motorcycles, with a total of six wins. This year, together with co-driver Txema Villalobos, he will experience his twentieth participation, the eighth for him on four wheels, this time at the wheel of the Toyota Hilux Overdrive of the Repsol Rally Team.
In 1991, a very young Isidre Esteve took part in his first rally on a motorcycle at the age of 19, precisely in the Baja Aragón. He made his debut at the handlebars of a TM 125 cc, with which he won in its cylinder capacity. That was the beginning of an idyllic relationship with this competition, of which he would be proclaimed overall winner half a dozen times, specifically in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006. A record that no one has yet been able to equal in the same category.
The Baja Aragón was also the event Esteve chose to make his debut in cars in 2008, a year after suffering his spinal cord injury. His experience in this Spanish off-road classic marked a before and after for him, as it was on this stage that he reappeared in 2012, after the pressure ulcers he suffered in the 2009 Dakar, to test the Smart Cushion for the first time. The result was a success for the integrity of his skin and just one year later he would go on to win the Buggy section here, a milestone for inclusive sport.
After four participations in Buggys, he made his debut in 2016 with an off-roader as a stepping stone to race in 2017 his first Dakar in cars since 2009. The Repsol Rally Team driver's last participation in the Baja Aragon was in 2018, when he managed to finish third in T1.2 (diesel prototypes) and 16th overall, his best overall car result until then (he later added several top 10s in other international races).
In all these years, the rider from Lleida has lived countless experiences in the Aragonese race, which he recalls with pride:
"My best memories on a motorcycle are those fights I had with Nani Roma for the victory. I remember them with great satisfaction because we lived fantastic moments. It was also very emotional to win in buggies years later and now, in the car, I enjoy being as competitive as possible in this race that is so important in my life".
In total, Isidre Esteve has a whopping 19 participations in the Baja España Aragón (12 on a motorcycle, 4 in buggies and 3 in a car).
"It is a great joy and a privilege to be back in the Baja for another year because it means that, despite my disability, I continue to enjoy what I like the most and the best lowlander event in Europe. When the date arrives, it is always a very special moment, after having participated for so many years on a motorcycle and, after my injury, having been able to continue in a car", he explains.
"The Baja Aragón, like all competitions, has changed a lot in three decades. Before, it was more epic, it was a major challenge; a very long and regular race... with 800 kilometers non-stop! Now, this and the other races have become more sprint rallies, which require a different approach, because any mistake is very difficult to recover from. The Baja has evolved to adapt to the circumstances, like the rest of the races", he adds.
This year's edition will be held from July 22 to 24 in the surroundings of Teruel and will count towards the FIA Cross-Country World Cup and the Spanish Off-Road Rally Championship. It will have a total of 830 kilometers, of which 539 will be timed. The first stage will be held on Friday, with a 180 km special stage, while Saturday will concentrate the bulk of the event with 359 km against the clock. "The format is more concentrated than other times and without a prologue. We'll start in order of bib number - in my case number 25 - and I hope not to find much dust on the track, although I'm afraid that won't be the case. It will be important to see where we finish the first day to plan the second", explains Isidre.
The 37th Baja España Aragón will have a truly luxurious entry, with 132 cars, among which there are some of the top drivers that Isidre Esteve has faced in recent years in the Dakar.
"In this Baja there is a great level and I'm very happy about it, because this will make us all go faster and be more attentive. We will try to be competitive but without making mistakes,"
said the Repsol, MGS Seguros, KH-7 and Toyota Spain driver.
Official press release
Automatically translated
