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Carlos Sainz: Getting in shape for 2014 Dakar

Carlos Sáinz faces a new challenge in the Dakar 2014: taking part in the Red Bull Team Buggy SMG, a car so different from the VW Touareg that he will have to radically adjust his driving style.

Redbull.com: How are the preparations going for the Dakar 2014?
CS: I tested the car for the first time in Morocco in May. Then we spent a couple of weeks of preparation in Morocco. I've been also been preparing myself physically, focussing on specific aspects for this rally.

RB: Is the new car very different from last year?
CS: The one I tested in May was an evolution of the 2013 Dakar Rally unit. Phillipe Gache has a lot of experience in the Dakar and my job at first was to highlight the weak points of the car to try to improve the Buggy. We pushed the car to the limit and saw what could be improved. I think we had a good place to start and I'm happy with the work we did. We only had a couple of mechanical problems, but those should be fixed and the car should now be competitive and reliable .

RB: You and Phillipe Gache go a long way back, right?
CS: My relationship with him began when I drove a Porsche 911 that he'd prepared in two Historic Rallies of Spain. I won both.

RB: You've been involved in the birth of three great cars: the Polo R WRC , the VW Touareg and the SMG Buggy. What's special about each of them?
CS: I'm proud of all them because they are all so very different. The Polo R is the epitome of world rallying, the championship-winning car. We began working on it in 2012 after VW pulled out of the Dakar to concentrate on WRC. I helped them to be the most competitive they could be in the WRC in the shortest time possible and the results speak for themselves.

The Touareg took longer than expected to develop but in the end we had the perfect machine for the Dakar: 4X4, unbreakable, quick... It won the last three Dakars it raced in and was the first diesel-powered car to win.

The SMG takes a different approach: two-wheel-drive, more travel in the suspension, more power and less weight. I had a bit of experience of working with Nasser in 2013 and that gave me some ideas about where we could improve. That has helped me to make this buggy as competitive as possible, although much depends on the terrain. The Buggy will be fine on rocky and desert conditionsbut on twisty roads and tarmac, it's going to be slower.

RB: The route this year is similar to 2010, when you won. Does that give you an advantage?
CS: I've raced in a half dozen Dakars and every year it's different. I'm also in a very different car so if the route worked for the Touareg , it may not work for the Buggy.

RB: You've raced the Dakar in both Africa and South America,which do you prefer?
CS: I like the concept. Both continents have their charms, but they are both as hard as each other. The terrain is different: there's more desert in Africa and more varied terrain in South America, and more people supporting the race.

RB: What makes the Dakar Rally special?
CS: Firstly, it's a big challenge that you can only do once a year. And secondly the physical and sporting challenge is more extreme so you get closer to your limits. The Dakar is a a serious test that demands respect.

RB: Is it fair to say that one stage of the Dakar is more dangerous than a section of the WRC?
CS: The Dakar is more risky because you're trying to get through untamed terrain. You need to be careful about what you're doing because you can come across all sorts of unexpected problems (ditches, rocks) all at once.

RB: And finally, you're not superstitious but what three things do you pack in your suitcase when you go to Dakar?
CS: You're right, I'm not superstitious: I believe in hard work, doing your homework and leaving nothing to chance. But my essentials are music, a flashlight and earplugs.

By Pablo Bueno / Paul Keith
Redbull.com