Laia Sanz is one step closer to returning to the Dakar Rally and will do so by writing a new page in her history. The Spanish announces that it will participate in the next edition, which begins on January 1, 2022, with the KH7 team already in a MINI ALL4 Racing from the German trainer X-raid (winner of the last two editions). Which, is the debut of the Spanish in cars, after eleven editions on two wheels. A whole new challenge that comes just a few weeks after reaching his twentieth world title (14 in Women’s Trial and 6 in Women’s Enduro).
And it is that the numbers of Laia Sanz scare when a new episode of his life approaches. The Spanish, the most awarded within the motorsport, has not stopped growing within the Dakar Rally. Of his eleven motorcycle participations, It is the only one, among all the Spanish pilots who compete in the toughest competition on the planet, that it has managed to finish on all occasions. Also, consecutively. And, as if that weren’t enough, she has done it by being a regular in the Top20 of the rally, even sneaking into the top 15 and finishing ninth in 2015.
Thus, KH7 wanted to continue betting on Sanz for his new project, continuing with that relationship that has united them since 2011 (the year in which he raced for the first time in the Dakar) in a new project that is exciting: “After 11 editions, I think I have achieved things that I would not have imagined before participating in my first Dakar. They have been great results, very good experiences, but also tough, and I think that for many things it was time to make a change. During my sports career, I have always liked to get out of the comfort zone And now I am launching myself on a new adventure. It will be by car, with an X-raid MINI 4×4 and I am very excited. I think this vehicle gives me guarantees of not having problems, of making a good debut and, above all, of trying to finish the Dakar, learn as much as possible and try to do my best. “
They will debut together already in December
The adventure, which will begin with the entry of the new year in Saudi Arabia, will share it with Maurizio Gerini, his new co-driver and great Dakar connoisseur after four participations. The Italian achieved two victories in the Marathon category (2018 and 2019), a 14th place (2019) as the best result in the general classification. In addition, he has been three times Italian Enduro Champion (2008, 2014 and 2017) and Italian Motorrally Champion (2017). “He has a lot of motorcycle experience and is a great navigator”, confirms Laia Sanz, who already has a date for his grand debut with the MINI in his goal of continuing to prepare for the Dakar.
Your first participation together It will be from December 6 to 11 in Saudi Arabia, participating in the Ha’il International Rally, scoring for the FIA Cross Country World Cup. “In order to prepare for the car debut at the Dakar, we are going to compete in Hail, where we hope to begin to bond and add kilometers that will be very important to arrive with some filming at the starting line on January 1. This test is held in an area and terrain similar to those that we will find in the Dakar and that is why we will be there, “says the Spaniard, eager to start her new adventure.