THE REPSOL TEAMS THAT WILL FACE THE CHALLENGE OF THE FIGHT FOR THE VICTORY AT THE 2007 DAKAR WERE PRESENTED TODAY IN BARCELONA
‘ Stéphane Peterhansel, Hiroshi Masuoka, Luc Alphand and Nani Roma make up the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team ‘ Marc Coma, Jordi Viladoms and Giovanni Sala are the members of the Repsol KTM Team ‘ The objective of both teams is to repeat the historical double victory achieved at the 2006 Dakar with the victory of Marc Coma in the motorbike class and Luc Alphand in cars
Repsol together with KTM and Mitsubishi presented today in Barcelona their official teams for the 2007 Dakar Rally, a powerful delegation with the four drivers of the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team: Stéphane Peterhansel, Hiroshi Masuoka, Luc Alphand and Nani Roma, and the three riders of the Repsol KTM Team: Marc Coma, Jordi Viladoms and Giovanni Sala. The race will start on January 6 in Lisbon and this 2007 edition will be an important challenge since the objective is no other than repeating the victories achieved in 2006 in both classes.The presentation event of the Repsol teams attended by the riders and drivers and by high officials of the three companies involved in this ambitious project: Isao Torii, Mitsubishi Motor Sport President, Dominique Serieys, Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Manager, Hans Trunkenpoltz, KTM Technical Director, and Javier Inclán, Repsol Sponsorship Director.In recent years, Repsol has managed to achieve several victories at the hardest raid of the planet. After the victory in the motorbike class in 2004 and in cars in 2005, the last edition held this year was the culmination of a large project in the desert, with the achievement of the victories both in the car class and in the motorbike class with Marc Coma and Luc Alphand. The aim for 2007, is clear and concise: fighting again for the victory in both classes.After a successful season thanks to the titles won by Repsol riders and drivers Nicky Hayden, MotoGP World Champion, Laia Sanz, Womens Trial World Champion and Marc Coma Raid World Champion in addition to the two victories achieved at the 2006 Dakar, Repsol is looking forward to the 2007 season that will be starting its engines on January 6 in Lisbon.The humanitarian effort of the Solidarity Dakar will continue in parallel to the sports eventThe debut of the Solidarity Dakar Foundation could not be better in the last edition of the rally. Up to seven tons of medical material were delivered at the Nouakchott National Hospital, thanks to an initiative that has been highly praised by riders, drivers, teams and organisation. Managed by Dr. Xavier Mir, the Solidarity Dakar Foundation, under the auspices of Repsol YPF, will be back, carrying out humanitarian tasks of special relevance this year, making use of the logistics infrastructure provided by the race organisation. In this second caravan several African hospitals are going to receive medical help in the shape of instruments, vaccines and all kinds of medicines and medical material.Isao Torii, Mitsubishi Motor Sport PresidentAs in any other competition in which we are represented, our aim is to win, in this case, the Dakar Rally. This is our twenty-fifth participation and the objective is still the victory. After having achieved it 22 times, the real challenge is obviously making it for the seventh time in a row. Moreover it coincides with a very important strategic moment for the make, because we just launched the Montero in Spain and a good result at the Dakar would obviously be the best reflect of the good job done by the make. We also want to dedicate the victory to our great friend Henri Magné, who died this year. Fortunately we have a good team, good drivers and we have great confidence in them.  Dominique Serieys, Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team ManagerAfter 25 years racing the Dakar, we have been able to see how our competitors are getting closer, are improving and are showing themselves very strong, so we also have to continue improving. We have increased the sizes in the inside because it will be more comfortable for tall drivers such as Nani, but especially because despite of the good results achieved with this car in recent years, we wanted to improve comfort habitability and especially the easiness and safety in driving. We have managed to do so lowering the centre of gravity as much as possible, moving the fuel tank and moving back the oil tank. We’ve also made several tests in which we have achieved highly satisfying results.Javier Inclán, Repsol Sponsorship Director What do we want this year? It’s simple: repeating. We had planned to do some of the World Championship races with Marc to prepare the Dakar, and the homework has been done well. He took part in 5 races and won them all. Thats why he became World Champion again. But our aim was to prepare the Dakar and he prepared it in an excellent way. You win the Dakar with teamwork and Marc will be counting again on the experience of Gio Sala, a great teammate and the strength of Jordi Viladoms.Luc AlphandWeve improved the performance a lot because were starting with a new car with which we have already worked a lot. Weve also been working on the reliability because its there where the secret of the Dakar really is. There is no use in speeding if the car breaks down in the middle of the desert. The tests have given us a lot of confidence in the car, and if you add to it, that we have a nice team, we really can be optimistic. The first rival is always the desert, but Im psychologically well. I just won in Dubai, I won the Dakar, so once I’ve taken the start in Lisbon my fight will be for nothing else but the victory at Lake Rose.Nani RomaIve covered more kilometres, Ive learned another year and I always try to use common sense and logic, so I think that Ive learned a lot. My handicap may be not having made any race with Lucas and that might be a disadvantage in some places. But the additional motivation we have and the strength we have inside will surely take us to compensate for those lacks. I think that the Mitsubishi car is the best car, because it is the most reliable one. The most dangerous rival for me is Deviliers. Although it is clear that he will start very fast, giving it all from the start, and knowing him and how he drives and the ambition he has, Im sure that hell be going for the victory.Stéphane PeterhanselThis edition of the Dakar shows very well because we will be having a new car which is more competitive than the old one. We were able to test it during the Dubai rally and it worked really well. Moreover, the route will be quite classical again, with many kilometres in Morocco and several days in Mauritania, which is always a very favourable terrain for us, because we find always very hard conditions there. And then Mali and Senegal were we hope to be able to continue strong. An important aspect is also the fact that we have a great team spirit within the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team and I think that well achieve great results.Jordi Arcarons, Repsol KTM Team ManagerThis years bike is completely new, totally different to the one that has been used in recent years. Although KTM had already a winning bike, the technical team has been working two years on this bike. One of the main novelties is the multitubular frame, but actually everything has changes: the fuel tanks, the engine, etc…. All aspects needed by a bike to race the Dakar Rally have been improved, such as making the behaviour in slow and twisty areas easier, the behaviour in fast areas, the weight distribution, etc& Marc Coma has shown the efficiency of this new bike at the Raid World Championship, it has also passed really severe tests in Tunisia in which we have always tried to improve.Marc ComaI think that the difference and the place in which the rally will be decided will be Mauritania, because its a very hard area, a very demanding desert, and it is there were the really important things are going to happen. That’s good for us because we do not only have a new bike – even if it is not easy to start new projects – but we’ll try to make it a winning bike. Its a smaller bike, more compact, lighter and all of it makes it much easier to ride. Its a big help for the rider. Weve also been able to participate in the development this time, and that has allowed us to make it somehow the way we like it. Now, what we obviously want to do is to show its potential and to make it win.Jordi ViladomsIm happy because this year weve been able to prepare the race much better than last year, where we started almost from zero. This year Ive been able to take part in many races and the team has also made a big effort to let us make good tests and gather a lot of racing experience. This makes me feel much more confident than last year, because I’ve already been at the race once and now I know what I’ll be facing. Moreover, this year things have worked out better and better, the last races have been very good and Im also in a good team with riders as Marc and Gio. I think that theres nothing else I could wish for.Giovanni Sala This years route is again a classical Dakar route, and my nine years of experience in this race might be of help, although you never know before actually racing there because every year is different and it is just impossible to forecast anything. Im personally happy to be back working with Repsol KTM, and Im also satisfied because I feel that my experience might be important for the team and that I can still contribute with something. Marc is very strong, that’s a fact. He has a really high level athletic and psychological preparation and I think that he would even be able to win alone. But Ill be ready to intervene if anything happens. There are many kilometres to cover and anything can happen. Fortunately the team is well organised and being in a family that works in the same direction make everything much easier to help their riders to be always at the top.