Laia Sanz Navigates a Challenging Rally in Morocco

The renowned Catalan racer, Laia Sanz, encountered a tumultuous journey during the Morocco Rally, which she had anticipated would serve as an optimal testing ground for her forthcoming Dakar Rally endeavors. For years, Sanz has been channeling her efforts towards excelling in the Dakar Rally, yet her recent experience in Morocco did not unfold as favorably as she had hoped, alongside her co-driver, Maurizio Gerini.

As Sanz continues to acclimate to the EBRO S800 XRR in her second year with the Spanish team, the Moroccan terrain presented a series of obstacles that hindered her aspirations. Throughout the initial stages of the rally, she faced significant traffic issues, primarily due to her starting position. Additionally, a malfunction with the power steering hindered her performance, and on the penultimate day, a broken auxiliary belt tensioner further complicated matters.

Reflecting on her experience after the rally, Sanz expressed, "The sensations are good, which is what we take away from this. We also made some improvements to the suspension throughout the week. However, it’s true that everything went a bit awry. The first day was decent, but we were placed very far back for our start, followed by problems on the third and fourth days." She emphasized the importance of learning from this experience, stating, "We must take note of this race. There are areas to improve so that we don’t encounter these issues during the Dakar, and I'm pleased with the pace we maintained when we had clear tracks. Now, we need to work hard in the remaining time to prepare for a successful Dakar because there is potential."

While Sanz acknowledged that issues like these are preferable to face during a training event such as the Morocco Rally, she urged caution, as multiple mechanical failures occurred in quick succession. She remarked, "Yes, but this should genuinely serve as a lesson. We need to take note and improve so that we don’t face all these problems during the Dakar. I felt very comfortable in the sand with the improved suspension. Now, it’s a matter of gaining confidence on bumpy tracks, which is where I struggle the most, and there were plenty of them in Morocco. We need to enhance our performance on these fast and rough tracks, as time is lost when you don't push to the limit."

As reported by mundodeportivo.com.