The race driver Elisabete Jacinto started today on her way to Almeria, Spain, where she shall undergo the technical and bureaucratic checks for Sonangol Africa Eco Race 2013. Checks also begin today in France, at Saint Cyprien, where the majority of the teams enrolled for the competition will submit to the necessary controls for the rally.
The portuguese and spanish teams undergo the checks in Almeria, tomorrow. The organization of the rally allows this exception, so that the drivers may celebrate Christmas with their families and not on the road. The first stage of the big african marathon takes place on December 29th, already in morocco.
This year the competition has nearly 100 entrants, and Elisabete Jacinto will have added difficulties, since she is going to face some of the world’s leading truck teams, such as the russian Kamaz team, the czech Tomaz Tomecek, in his competitive tatra, and the dutch Qualisport team, with a Scania prototype, among others.
However, in spite of the competitors she will have at this Africa Race, Elisabete Jacinto aims at a podium place within her category: “this rally is going to be difficult because very competitive race drivers and teams are enrolled. They are all excellent drivers, with high level trucks. They have a lot of experience, with the exception of the Kamaz driver, who is one of the youngest enrolled. My tactic consists in betting on the driving quality and reliability. That is to say, i must drive well, without making any mistakes”, mentions the Team Oleoban/ MAN Portugal race driver.
The Sonangol Africa Eco Race 2013 will run on tracks in Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal. The stages are set along 13 days, and the total distance is 5796 kilometers. The rally is made up of 11 stages which include different tracks alternating among stone ground, mountain courses and many passages on sand. The race finishes at the mythical Lac Rose, in Dakar, on January 9th.