Crews of "KAMAZ-master" team won the first 3 places on "Dakar" rally.
January 17, Buenos Aires.
"I hope my father sees this happy moment. We have done a lot for this victory: all team, night mechanics and those who here, and those who stayed at home", - such were the first words after the finish of the pilot of "KAMAZ-master" team Ayrat Mardeev, the winner in trucks category of Dakar-2015.
We will remind, Ayrat's father – the well-known racer Ilgizar Mardeev, tragically died in August of last year. The man who stood at the origins of "KAMAZ-master", multiple winner of the rally-marathon "Dakar" - the present victory on Dakar was devoted to him.
The road to Baradero's autodrome was a live corridor from the audience. Here the finish of the last high-speed section of Dakar rally took place. Happy eyes and smiles, flags and greetings. The stage Rosario-Buenos Aires became finishing spurt of Dakar rally to the shores of the Atlantic. In the capital of Argentina the 36th rally raid "Dakar" finished. The huge armada of participants decently thinned out during the race. In trucks category from Buenos Aires there were 64 cars at start, and just over half of participants reached the finish line.
During 13 stages of race on plains, mountains and the deserts of Argentina and Chile "KAMAZ-master" had to hold back an impact of experienced rivals. 4 IVECO, 7 TATRA, 13 MAN, 3 MAZ, 6 GINAF, 13 DAF, 4 RENAULT, 5 MERCEDES and 2 HINO participated in the race. For the crews of "blue armada" besides the increased competition the race will be difficult due to the fact that according to the requirements of the regulations on the reduction of the volume of truck engines up to 16.5 liters, all KAMAZes for the Dakar are equipped with new engine. Experts note that due to the cancellation of "Silk Way Rally", "KAMAZ-master" had not enough competitive practices. Fortunately good luck was on the side of Russians.
"It is one of the most pleasant and happy moments in my life, - told the head of "KAMAZ-master" team Vladimir Chagin the seven-time winner of Dakar rally. - Two weeks of tension ended with this moment. I am very glad for Ayrat Mardeev. His father Ilgizar wanted to win Dakar, also his dream was that one day his son becomes the winner of Dakar. A surname Mardeev is now in the list of champions of Dakar. It is super success for the team and for Ayrat's family, of course. We devote this victory to Ilgizar Mardeev".
Symbolically that here in Baradero, in 2011 the audience became witnesses of fierce fight of Ilgizar Mardeev and the German racer Franz Echter (MAN) for the 4th position in the race. That year "KAMAZ-master" won the four first places in the race.
This year the blue armada "KAMAZ-master" from the very beginning was considered as the favourite of competition and the applicant for the main trophy. But, perhaps, nobody expected from the new generation of KAMAZ pilots that they managed to do as a result. By Chagin's recognition the team accomplished the ultimate goal. Three crews of Ayrat Mardeev, Eduard Nikolaev and Andrey Karginov took the whole podium in trucks category. And the fifth place of Dmitry Sotnikov’s crew strengthened the total domination of the Russian trucks on prestigious international rally!
The press attache of "KAMAZ-master" team Eric Khayrullin from Argentina and Chile
