On November 9 cars of "KAMAZ-master" team went to the start of the rally-marathon "Dakar-2015". President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the minister of sport of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov, the General Director of OJSC "KAMAZ" Sergey Kogogin and the head of executive committee of Naberezhnye Chelny Nail Magdeev visited the team on the Tarlovka ground before its departure.
The leader of "KAMAZ-master" team Vladimir Chagin introduced to the guests the part of the team who will go to the main start of the season in South America. President of Tatarstan saw the cars, which will fight for the victory at "Dakar-2015". Rustam Minnikhanov acquainted with new technical solutions and improvements of some components and assemblies, and then he personally tested one of racing cars at the wheel.
President was satisfied with the results of the trip, having noted the excellent roadability, engine pull down, suspension settings and generally good progress of sports "KAMAZ" trucks. Let’s remind that Rustam Minnikhanov acting at the wheel of sports "KAMAZ" truck brought to the team six victories at prestigious international competitions.
General Director of OJSC "KAMAZ" Sergey Kogogin answering journalists' questions about the forthcoming "Dakar" said: "This is a sport. All the teams want to get on the podium. Rivals are preparing very seriously, it will be an exciting race. Within 2 weeks of January, the results of the rally stages will be for us the main event of every day. We will count on success and hope that luck will not turn away from us". The General Director also noted the role of the team in the company’s activity and marketing plans expansion: "Our return to the market of South America certainly prepared by the team. Successes on "Dakar" rally arouse interest to the brand "KAMAZ" among consumers".
Immediately after the event the crews went to the French port Le Havre, where the cars will pass primary technical checks, will be shipped on the ferry of competition organizers and sent to South America. Then the part of the team will go for training in Morocco, the rest of the sportsmen will return to Russia. A ferry with competitors’ cars will arrive to Buenos Aires by the end of December. Some employees of "KAMAZ-master" team will meet the cars over the Atlantic. Other members of the team will come to Argentina directly to the start of the marathon. "Dakar-2015" will begin on January 4, 2015 in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. For the seventh time it will pass in the territory of South America. Three countries will host the race: Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.
At the start of "Dakar" there will be around 450 vehicles from 50 countries.
"KAMAZ-master" team will participate on four sports trucks at "Dakar-2015".
№500 А. Karginov, А. Mokeev, I. Leonov,
№502 E. Nikolaev, E. Yakovlev, R. Akhmadeev,
№507 А. Mardeev, А. Belyaev, D. Svistunov,
№520 D. Sotnikov, I. Devyatkin, А. Aferin.
Fight for leadership in trucks category will be very serious. The main rivals of a Russian "KAMAZ- master" team - IVECO, MAN, GINAF, TATRA, LIAZ mobilized all resources for race.
Before the loop on the South American continent and finish in Buenos Aires, the competitors should overcome more than 9000 kilometers of a route from which there are 5000 kilometers of special stages.
