They jumped as if they should have done. The fact is that these guys enjoy what they do, although on Thursday only the test of HunGarian Baja, the Hungarian cross-country rally World Cup-race was held, so there was no stake at all. Perhaps that is why everybody grinned broadly on the course. However from Friday it will be all about business, there will be serious fight for World Cup-points, so racers will even snarl, but smile. Besides the test the necessary paperwork such as administrative check was also started and then the technical scrutineering was followed (at least for some teams, since most of them will follow only on Friday morning) and on Friday afternoon the real competition will also start with the super special session in Nyirád Arena.
According to the entry list 32 riders, 37 cars and 3 trucks will compete at the race. The biggest challenge could be firstly the heat (37 Co in shadow), secondly the 175-km technical special stage which will expectedly cause difficulties for the whole field. On Saturday the above-mentioned distance should be completed twice by the racers, and once on Sunday (to the opposite direction).
And what could be the key for it? ‘You have to push the gas’ said the 2-times Dakar winner, Nasser Al-Attiyah. Is it really so simple? From his point of view definitely is. As he always wants to win. He is the defending champion of the Hungarian race and if he wins this weekend, he will win for the third time that has not happened to anyone before. ‘You have to go fast slowly’ added Antal Fekete, the defending champion of the Hungarian championship series, and knowing his style that means continuous fast speed with minimal risk. ‘What do I like in truck racing? That I can drift with this 9-tons mammoth as if it was a racing car. For me racing is when the truck slide-slips underneath my bottom’ said Martin Macik who was the youngest truck racer in Dakar this year. Last year he also tuned up here for the longest desert race of the world and now he does it again. The temperature is at least given…
