Very little time left before the team leaves to the stage of the Russian Championship in Astrakhan. Anton Shibalov shared plans for the race and told how the preparation was going.
- Actually we get prepared to Astrakhan the same way as to other races. Getting up in the morning, having a wash and getting dressed, I normally don’t have breakfast, driving to work, changing clothes into uniform and it starts… The working day begins at 8 o’clock with the meeting, then work with vehicles, documents, planning. Before lunch there will definitely be an English lesson, then lunch and we continue to work by 7 p.m. Then an hour in the gym. Considering the complexity of Astrakhan routes, now in the training there is a particular emphasis on back and neck muscles.
- Anton, can you describe the route in Astrakhan in a few words?
- Three words: tough, terrible, nightmare (smiles). In fact such tracks as in Astrakhan appear on Dakar, in China, but there is diversity, and here the landscape is unvaried during the whole special - generally constant hillocks, scours, ditches. The truck goes 50/50 straight and up-and-down, therefore, perhaps, every kilometer in Astrakhan lasts twice longer. You ask your co-pilot: How many kilometers are left to the finish? He says, for example, 200. You drive, drive, it feels like you have already passed these 200 kilometers, but your co-pilot says: 150 km more!
- What crew composition will you have?
My navigator will be Dmitry Nikitin, we have passed not a single race together, worked well. And as a mechanic the first time will go Ivan Tatarinov. He has a karting experience in his sport career, he also took part in the truck cross category on ZiL, but he has a general idea of what the motor sport and vehicles are. But rally-raid is a new discipline for him and it is the first time he goes to the competition in the team.
-What personal goals do you have?
-I will try to get into my tempo fast. I missed Dakar, took little part in trainings before it and I would like to catch up, to join faster. Furthermore, the truck is absolutely new for me, I drive the truck, on which Andrey Karginov took part on Dakar. It has the least number of technical changes, therefore I drive it, as I have nothing to compare with. Other trucks have more novelties, the guys will be able to understand the difference and estimate developments better.
