“We are ready.”

Lucas, Carlos, Mr. Sainz, Mr. Cruz, after many tests, and a hard training: What is left to do personally ?
Lucas Cruz: I am also concentrating on raising my personal fitness levels those final few percent. Since we’ve received the last of the pre-race route information shortly before teh start, my role as co-pilot is mainly to familiarise myself with the terrain to the best of my ability.
Carlos Sainz: Wel, of course, do everything we can to be fit.

But the exact stages are announced just before the start of each stage?
Cruz: That’s right. We get the exact route information in the form of the road book about 15 minutes before each stage. That leaves very little time.
Sainz: In addition, every year, the philosophy behind the road book’s compilation changes. That is why we can only rely on the experience gleaned over the last few years to a very limited extent.

What do you mean by philosophy?
Sainz: I’m talking about the way it is written. We all understand things differently, which is why some road books prove easier to follow and others more difficult.
Cruz: That’s why it’s my job to interpret and translate the available information for Carlos. We don’t want any surprises.

The Dakar usually starts at the turn of the year. How do you celebrate the holidays?
Sainz: We still get to celebrate the festive season with our families more or less normally. For New Year’s Eve, we’ll be on site at the Dakar. That’s no big deal because I’m used to spending that time with Lucas. As is traditional in Spain, I’ll share twelve grapes with him.
Cruz: Luckily, I normaly get to enjoy my birthday on 26 December with my family. But honestly, for us, the race already starts as soon as we pack our things and get on the plane. From this moment at the latest our mind is only on the Dakar.

What do you still need to do before the race starts?
Cruz: I try to adjust to the local time. When at site, it’s all about checking everything in and around the car as well as settling into the motorhome. You don’t get a second chance to do that once the rally is underways.
Sainz: That’s why you have to plan and pack your luggage very carefully. It’s very annoying to realize you’ve forgotten something when you’re stuck in the middle of the desert.

How do your families actually feel about all this?
Cruz: My family supports me fully. After all, the Dakar only happens once a year and this is exactly the life I’ve chosen.
Sainz: My wife and I have been together for a long time and she understands that this sport and lifestyle make me happy. And she wants me to be happy. So, here we are.

Can your families at least visit you during the two-week-long rally?
Sainz: I think that’s possible and it would, of course, be nice to see each other in between. But we’ve neither considered nor done it before. After all, we are racing in remote areas.
Cruz: What’s more, we are always busy. Our days don’t begin and end with the stages. Before and afterwards, we work with the mechanics, prepare for the next stage and talk to the media. That leaves very little leisure time.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?
Cruz: We have our little habits, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Our daily routines are carefully planned and we stick to the schedule unless it makes sense to change something.

Nothing that could be called superstitions?
Sainz: I have been doing this for a long time and have gained a lot of experience. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that lucky charms and the like won’t get you anywhere. Only hard work and discipline will get you through the Dakar.