Spain is one of the countries with the most presence in the Dakar 2022, especially when looking at the categories of cars, ‘Side by Side’ and trucks. For the 44th edition of the toughest rally-raid in the world, Carlos Sainz, Nani Roma and Cristina Gutiérrez are the proper names of the ‘Spanish army’. The first two aspire to the ‘Touareg’ in the premier category of cars, while the Burgos is favorite to get the victory in T3. On the other hand, there are several trucks with Spanish representation, although perhaps the KH-7 Epsilon team truck is the most iconic, since it is a classic of the Dakarian caravan.
Carlos Sainz (# 202) is one of the three official Audi drivers. The performance that the hybrid prototype of the Stuttgart brand can give will mark the options that the ‘Matador’ will have to win the ‘Touareg’ together with Lucas Cruz, since a new technological concept can always bring complications in the race. In fact, Audi has been ruled out of the fight for victory, which places Toyota as a favorite. But nevertheless, Nani Roma and Álex Haro (# 204) will look to surprise with one of Prodrive’s BRX Hunter T1 +. In the same team is also Dani Oliveras as navigator of ‘Orly’ Terranova (# 221). In the orbit of Toyota, Armand Monleón acts as co-pilot for Lucio Álvarez (# 222).
The ‘Spanish armada’ has other illustrious members such as Laia sanz (# 238) in its debut in the car category. Carlos Checa and Ferran Marco Alcayna (# 239) will race a buggy from MD Rallye Sport, which will also be the former motorcycle racer’s Dakar debut. Among the ‘classics’ of the race, they repeat Isidre Esteve and Txema Villalobos (# 248), Óscar Fuertes and Diego Vallejo (# 249) and Jesus Calleja (# 256), these last three enlisted in the Astara Team. Manuel Plaza and his daughter Monica (# 257) will compete with a Chevrolet BV2 prepared by Sodicars Racing in an edition of the Dakar in which they will also be Jesus Henriquez (# 274), Jordi Queralto (# 275), José Manuel Salinero and Cristian López (# 280) and Santi Padro and Álvaro Rodríguez (# 288).
If Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma oppose the ‘Touareg’, Cristina Gutierrez (# 301) lands on the Dakar as the favorite for victory in the T3 category after claiming the FIA Cross-Country World Cup title. The Burgos will have Spanish opposition with Fernando Alvarez (# 309). Within the category of ‘Side by Side’ prototyped also compete Xavier Blanco (# 311) as Camelia Liparoti’s co-pilot and Oriol Vidal (# 313) as Saleh Alsaif’s navigator. The rest of the crews are made up of Santiago Navarro and Marc Sola (# 314), Javier Herrador and José Luis Rosa (# 326) and Xavi Foj (# 337) will also be from the game. Jordi Segura and Pedro López (# 343), Manuel Peñate and Rosa Romero (# 344) and the female partner formed by Merce Martí and Margot Llobera (# 356).
Within the T4 category, the national presence is lessBut the ‘Spanish army’ has a great trump card. Gerard Farrés and Diego Ortega (# 416) compete with one of South Racing’s Cam-Am, a reference structure within this class of vehicles. Gael Queral and Sergi Brugué (# 439) form the second Spanish crew in T4, although the pair formed by Joan Lascorz and Miguel Puertas (# 447) perhaps they have a greater media weight due to the stories and the experience that surrounds this project. The last light buggy in the T4 category with a Spanish presence is the Can-Am de Josep Rojas and Joan Rubí (# 468).
There is no shortage of Spanish participants in trucks, although without major changes compared to 2021. Andorran Albert Llovera (# 519) competes with Spaniards Marc Torres and Jorge Salvador. What’s more, Pau Navarro will be co-driver of Argentine ‘Pato’ Silva (# 521). TOAlberto Herrero and Borja Rodríguez (# 525) will compete with a MAN, while JOrdi Juvanteny, Jordi Ballbe and Fina Román (# 528) will be present with the KH-7 truck after José Luis Criado tested positive for COVID. Alberto Alonso, Óscar Bravo and José Luis Santillana (# 552), Francesc Ester, Javier Jacoste and Jordi Comallonga (# 558) and Álex Aguirregaviria, Fracesc Salisi and Rubén Mañas (# 650) complete the ‘Spanish armada’