X-Raid Team A day of rest packed with work 08.01.2012: • Sponsors, journalists and guests visit the X-raid bivouac • Tough job for two race trucks The first week of the 2012 Dakar is history, now, and following

• Sponsors, journalists and guests visit the X-raid bivouac

• Tough job for two race trucks




The first week of the 2012 Dakar is history, now, and following the numerous events witnessed in week one, the event schedule featured the obligatory day of rest in the bivouac at Copiapo, today. Nonetheless: don’t let the term ‘day of rest’ make you come to wrong conclusions. There wasn’t a special stage to be contested, today, but the entire team had to cope with a tight schedule, nevertheless.


The Monster energy X-raid Team used the day to check all its eight cars extensively and prepare them for the second week. And for the co-drivers, it was back to work at 14:00hrs. At this point in time, the organisers handed the road book for tomorrow’s special stage to Antofagasta out to them and they began the preparations right away. Meanwhile, the drivers also couldn’t relax throughout the day. They had to answer the questions of numerous journalists and pose for photographers.


The sponsors of the Monster Energy X-raid Team also visited the bivouac at Copiapo. The team’s name sponsor Monster Energy, for instance, was represented by 19 guests from 10 countries. They had won the trip to Copiapo in a competition on energy-drink manufacturer’s website.


Following a party held yesterday evening, they spent the day of rest in the bivouac. At the same time, guests of KS Tools and Vision Advisors also had the opportunity to witness the work of the team and the life in the bivouac at close range.


The top priority, however, was the preparation of the rally vehicles. Nonetheless, the mechanics did not only attend to the eight cars – the two T4 race trucks also were subjected to extensive checks. They compete in the truck ranking but don’t really battle it out for positions. They quasi represent the backing for the racing cars and act as important support in the background.



Many teams use them as so-called ‘fast assistance’. Should a racing car encounter major technical problems or get stuck deep in the sand, they often represent the ‘lifesaver’. After all, the regulations stipulate that a competitor may be helped only by another competitor. The truck crews consist of three men: a driver, a navigator and a mechanic.


The two Monster Energy X-raid Team race trucks are equipped with numerous spare parts and tools to be able to help the five MINI ALL4 Racing vehicles and the three BMW X3 CC rally cars if necessary. So, they helped – for instance – Stephan Schott when he hit a rock in the second stage, resulting in a seriously damaged rear suspension.


For truck #544 with the crew Wallenwein, Philipp Beuer and Uwe Zaumseil, the day of rest came at the perfect point in time. They toppled over in the dunes of Copiapo and spent the night in the special stage. Only late in the morning, they made it to the bivouac. The second race truck, # 536, of Klaus Bäuerle, Filipe Palmeiro and Tony Salvage, currently holds a solid position in the overall standings.


“The truck of Wallenstein has encountered a tough night,” said Sven Quandt, Team Manager of the Monster Energy X-raid Team. “But as far as we know, the other vehicles also had their problems in the dunes. Klaus Bäuerle was hampered by radiator problems but despite being annoyed by these problems, he is delivering in fine style.”


Tomorrow’s eighth special stage takes the field to Antofagosta. In addition to covering a total of 245 liaison-section kilometres, the competitors have to contest a 477-kilometre special stage. It’s one of the longest special stages of the rally and features mainly fast sections.



Overall after 7 stages:


1. S. Peterhansel (FRA) / J.-P. Cottret (FRA) MINI ALL4 Racing – 15h 32m 53s

2. K. Holowczyc (POL) / J.-M. Fortin (BEL) MINI ALL4 Racing – 15h 44m 15s

3. R. Gordon (USA) / J. Campell (USA) Hummer – 15h 46m 02s

4. N. Roma (ESP) / M. Périn (FRA) MINI ALL4 Racing – 15h 50m 58s
…
7. Novitskiy (RUS) / A. Schulz (GER) MINI ALL4 Racing – 16h 27m 19s
…
14. B. Garafulic (CHI) / G. Picard (FRA) BMW X3 CC – 18h 12m 00s
...
16. R.D. Dos Santos (POR) / P. Fiuza (POR) MINI ALL4 Racing – 19h 01m 28s
…
25. A. Mironenko (RUS) / S.Lebedev (RUS) BMW X3 CC – 21h 45m 12s
…
36. S.Schott (GER) / H.Schmidt (GER) BMW X3 CC – 29h 26m 30s

contact Stefanie Szlapka or Thomas Quandt - photos Willy Weyens

more photos on automobilsport.com under PHOTOS OFF ROAD from Dakar Restday