NUCLEAR POWER IN BELARUS AND WORLDWIDE
MINSK, 27 December (BelTA) – The MAZ-SPORTauto Team has every chance of placing top three at the Dakar 2020, team leader Siarhei Viazovich told the media on 27 December, BelTA has learned.
“We are in an optimal physical shape. We will debut the hooded MAZ truck, which proved its worth at various competitions throughout the year. We are facing challenging tasks in the forthcoming Dakar. The event was held in South America for the last ten years. This time the competitions will take place in a different location. MAZ-SPORTauto is among the top teams that have every chance to compete for podium places at one of the world's most challenging rallies,” Siarhei Viazovich said.
MAZ-SPORTauto has upgraded the technical fleet, he informed. At Dakar 2020 the team will have a new camper van with more comfortable recreational conditions.
Three Belarusian crews will take part in the rally. The team leader Siarhei Viazovich will drive a hooded MAZ truck together with co-pilots - Pavel Haranin and Anton Zaparoshchanka (No.503). Pilot Alexander Vasilevskiy will hit the road with co-pilots - Dzmitry Vikhrenka and Vitali Murylev (No. 508). Another crew (No.528) will be piloted Aliaksei Vishneuski, and co-piloted by Maksim Novikau and Andrei Neviarovich.
The world's main rally will start in Jeddah on 5 January and will end in Qiddiya, near Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on 17 January. The total length of the route will be more than 7,800km, including 5,000 of specials. Considering this year's event is staged in Saudi Arabia, around 75% of the rally will take place on sand.
The rally will feature 351 crews: 170 motorcycles and quad bikes, 134 cars and buggies, and 47 trucks.
Two Belarusian crews finished Dakar 2019 in Peru in the top ten. Siarhei Viazovich finished sixth, Aleksandr Vasilevski eighth. Aliaksei Vishneuski was 11th in the final standings. The winner was Russia's Kamaz-Master crew of Eduard Nikolaev.
