The Catalan Nani Roma will not have the opportunity to contest the Dakar 2023 with one of the BRX Hunter T1+, but he will continue to work with the team to develop the prototype for the event that will take place in January in Saudi Arabia.
Nani Roma will not be in the Dakar 2023. For the first time in 27 years, the Catalan driver will not be part of the toughest rally-raid in the world. Circumstance that, despite everything, cannot be labeled as negative, since it is accompanied by the best news. Rome has overcome the bladder cancer that was diagnosed in March. After two operations and chemotherapy, the one from Folgueroles is active again.
In fact, the recovery of Rome has been very positive and since last August he has returned to piloting. So much so that the Catalan has participated in a demanding test with the BRX Hunter T1+ in Morocco, a test that in theory enabled him to return to activity. Nevertheless, Nani will not be in the last two rounds of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship and in the Dakar 2023 for technical reasons. At least this has been what Prodrive has claimed.
«I will not be able to be at the start of the Dakar 2023 for a purely technical issue»
In any case, the Spanish rider will continue to be enrolled in the Prodrive team and will work on the development of the BRX Hunter T1+ until the next Dakar. Own Gus Beteli, head of the BRX team, explained it this way. The main focus of work for Nani will be working on the evolution of the car, since the recovery from Roma has not been fast enough for Nani to have a car for the next Dakar.
«Nani’s next duties will be helping the team, but also to test and show the BRX Hunter Hypercar, the street model that we have developed. It will be in Dubai, in November. Also, andAt Prodrive we are encouraged by the speed of Nani’s progress to be able to ride at the highest level again, something that brings a smile back to his face» explained the team manager.
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Nani Roma’s vision
Nani Rome He explained his situation perfectly: «I will not be able to be at the start of the 2023 Dakar for a purely technical issue. I am fully recovered, but the short time frame remaining until the Dakar made my participation in the next edition impossible at this time. I’ve had really hard months in which my main objective has been to return as soon as possible »”.
“I think this challenge has helped me a lot. Setting goals in life is important and this fact has helped me in these moments to face the operations and the most difficult moments of the chemo. In each adverse situation, the motivation to compete again made me go forward. For 27 years I have not missed any edition of the Dakar and now I will see it from another point of view» added Catalan.
The third BRX Hunter T1+
The key to understanding these ‘technical issues’ that prevent Nani Roma from owning a BRX Hunter T1+ for Dakar 2023 is that the third unit of the car already has an owner. Sébastien Loeb and ‘Orly’ Terranova will compete with the first two units of the team’s T1+. The third will be in the hands of Guerlain Chicheritinitially under the support of Prodrive, but with the colors of his team.
This leaves no room for Prodrive to have another BRX Hunter T1+ chassis ready. facing the Dakar, not so much because of its construction as because of the transfer. Like is logic, Cristina Gutiérrez does not have space in the team eitherdespite rumors linking her to the lineup due to her connection to Extreme E’s X44 team and her recent BRX Hunter test.
Photos: Bahrain Raid Xtreme