On November, 26 the President of Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov met KAMAZ-master sports team and its managers. The meeting with Director General of KAMAZ PTC Sergey Kogogin, the General Director of PJSC Tatneft Nail Maganov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Albert Karimov and the Mayor of Naberezhnye Chelny Nail Magdeev was held at testing area in Naberzhnye Chelny.
It was decided to save the annual traditional farewell of KAMAZ-master team to the Dakar, in spite of that the team will not take part in this rally. In fact, possibility of Russian athletes’ participation at the rally Dakar 2023 edition was conditioned by the necessity of signing the Driver Commitment of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which holds the political sense and violates the principles of equal conditions for athletes. “Our choice is evident – we are always with our homeland, especially when it is not in easy situation,” the Head of KAMAZ-master team Vladimir Chagin stated.
In spite of changing at annual schedule, KAMAZ-master team lives in active production and competitive schedule. This year KAMAZ-master team confirmed its sports leadership and technical advantage of the Russian equipment at the rally Dakar 2022 and the Silk Way Rally 2022. The team also won the Russian Rally-Raid Championship. During this year, a big work was done at preparation to new sports season: a new racing truck of the K5 generation and upgraded bonnet truck “KAMAZ-43509K” are created. The focus was made at import substitution that demanded great efforts of the production and R&D departments of the team. The tests of the new equipment will take part within the Russian-Rally-Raid Championship and at new main upcoming season at international Silk Way Rally from July 6 to 15, 2023 by the route Kazan-Ufa-Magnitogorsk-Orenburg-Samara-Saratov-Volgograd-Lipetsk-Moscow.
Within the framework of the project of PTC KAMAZ “Tekhnogorod”, the team of “KAMAZ-master” is doing a lot of work to support children's and youth motorsport, patriotic education, orientation of young people to receive technical education. The pilots of “KAMAZ-master’ are a role model for the younger generation. In 2015, by decision of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the Chelny carting track was transferred to PTC KAMAZ under the management of the KAMAZ-master team, and carting in Naberezhnye Chelny received a new launch for development. Nowadays, more than 80 children are involved in the city carting track, most of which are educational and training groups that defend the honor of the city, taking part in regional and federal competitions.
Thanks to the efforts of the KAMAZ-master team, buggy and сarting tracks have been equipped in Naberezhnye Chelny, which during the past year hosted more than 10 major competitions of the city, republican and federal championships.
In 2023, the team will establish a joint production of children's carts at the premises of the Naberezhnye Chelny Polytechnic College. As part of the educational program, college students will participate in the full cycle of the production of a small car. Such experience will allow them gain quickly practical skills for their future profession. The produced carts are aimed for the activities of children of the youngest age of 6-8 years. They will be received by children's sports schools not only in the Republic of Tatarstan, but also in other regions of the Russian Federation. During the visit, Rustam Minnikhanov was presented with a new car for young champions.
The President also got acquainted and highly appreciated the newly manufactured modernized trucks of the K5 family and bonnet layout. The President of Tatarstan was told about how the work on the design of trucks was going on, about other studies, including the driving performance of trucks.
“To understand what progress has been made, you need to drive a truck. KAMAZ trucks are very passable, very reliable. The automatic transmission allows you to control and keep the speed throughout the race. This is important, since the rider needs to keep working,” Rustam Minnikhanov said.
Bearing in mind, that this year KAMAZ-master will not participate in the Dakar rally, Rustam Minnikhanov noted that, despite this, KAMAZ is improving its equipment. “KAMAZ has been and remains the main car industry of our country,” he added.
“KAMAZ PTC has created a whole complex of the most modern factories for engines, gearboxes, allowing us to be competitive today in the world markets,” the President of the Republic of Tatarstan is convinced.
The President was able to feel the progress and evolution of sports trucks of the KAMAZ-master team personally having tested not only the new trucks, but driving the trucks of 1996 and 2002 year manufacture. These historical trucks, including the first sports truck KAMAZ-4310 of 1988 year manufacture were presented at testing area purposely, because in 2023 the team will celebrate its 35th anniversary.
Looking back, that Rustam Minnikhanov has been taking part in rally Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge from 2000 to 2007 years and became 6 times winner.
Director General of KAMAZ PTC Sergey Kogogin said that KAMAZ PTC hasn’t changed its attitude towards the KAMAZ-master team. “We all understand the significance of the team. The biggest value is professionally prepared personnel. The upbringing of highly skilled racers is very meticulous work that takes long time preparation,” he noted.
