They have sat down at the Astara Team table and they all have a junction point: the ingredients of a project that has become attractive based on ambition and work. The Spanish team made its debut at its headquarters in Madrid with Óscar Fuertes, Laia Sanz and Carlos Checa forming a magical trident that closes the circle for the structure. One by one, Astara has fulfilled all the points that they marked on their roadmap for the Dakar 2023 and they have not only raised the bar with a top-level line-up, but they have also satisfied their desire to have a 100% ecological fuel and three cars in the next outing to be held in Saudi Arabia.
The result of a whole year translates into a project with more weight at all levels, who intends to be the protagonist in the next Dakar. trust is such that Jorge Navea, CEO of Astara, he does not know “if they need luck, because they are a great team” and although in the desert he always comes up with certain unknowns, what this lineup makes clear is that the one from the competitiveness they have it more than resolved. The training combines knowledge and experience and despite the fact that some, like Laia, still feel rookies in the world of four wheels, his first involvement in cars made it clear that the potential is undeniable.
On a personal level, it was the Spanish woman herself who found herself with the most capabilities, since since the curtain fell on the last edition it was clear that “give a step forward in terms of driving a more competitive car” was an obligation that has become a reality together with one of the teams that has grown the most from one year to the next. Also due to the presence of pilots like Laia or Czech that according to the veteran of the structure, Óscar Fuertes, “get ready for everyone”. Especially if you share that philosophy in which “you are as great as who you compare yourself to”. And even if it weren’t even like that, the trajectories are the clearest evidence of the leap in quality that a team that faces this challenge “with a lot of hope”.
Does that mean that the most ambitious goals are a reality? Obviously “the only objective is not to finish the Dakar”, but the results will be seen on the go in a “different” edition” where the sensations do not change as Diego Vallejo admits: “From the first moment there was a good ‘feeling’”. The Galician will accompany Fuertes inside the passenger compartment, while Laia maintains her confidence towards Maurizio Guerini, and Checa faces a new challenge. Will be Marc Solá Whoever accompanies him on the right in his second participation in the desert, where the objective “is to grow” hand in hand with a project that offers him “one more step in all aspects”. Including that of sustainability.
Total commitment to sustainability
After a successful first edition in this section, Astara has made it clear that they want more and will look for it with 100% ecological gasoline (in 2022 the fuel was 70% ecological), which is another step in the team’s commitment to zero emissions. This does not mean that the use of this fuel will make the three Astara 01 Concept lose performance since, in fact, the Century CR.6 on which the Astara 4×2 buggy is born has been improved in different areas than a year ago, when the team was preparing its last participation to date. The one that he knew little by little, simply in terms of ambition. Because they come back with everything… and a little more for this new challenge.