Second place for Iveco and for driver Gerard De Rooy behind the wheel of a Powerstar in the 2014 Dakar edition. The battle for the top step of the podium came down to the wire for the Dutch driver who fought until the last second of the race before giving in ahead of the Russian colossus Kamaz, driven by Karginov.
After yielding ground during the eleventh stage, Gerard De Rooy was unable to run-up on his rival, narrowly missing out on the opportunity to duplicate the prestigious success achieved in the 2012 Dakar edition, despite the great perseverance and persistence he demonstrated up to the end.
The other members of Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco also placed well: Dutchman Hans Stacey, driving an Iveco Trakker Evolution, took seventh place in the standings, Spaniard Pep Vila and Frenchman Jo Adua took tenth and 22nd place respectively, both behind the wheel of an Iveco Trakker Evolution 2.
Gerard de Rooy said immediately after he finished the last stage of Dakar 2014: "It was a tough test. It was not a good idea to have the trucks and cars start together. That was also the case last year and we told A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation). Eventually I did everything that was in my power. I had hoped that would be enough. We can at least be very satisfied with the team, our Iveco trucks and our performance".
Beyond the final result of the race, however, it is important that all the Iveco vehicles which started at the beginning of January from Rosario crossed the finish line at Valparaíso: an excellent result that confirms the reliability, efficiency and durability of the vehicles that participated in the Dakar. Specifically adapted to the extreme environmental conditions of the rally, they were factory vehicles optimised for high energy efficient performance.
So over three years Iveco has written a piece of history in the most famous rally in the world: victory in 2012, a good placing of three drivers in 2013, two of which finished in the top ten, and a second place in 2014, achieved after 10,000 kilometres of road.
The 2014 running of the Dakar was a particularly challenging testing ground for Iveco to confirm the robustness of its vehicles, putting each individual component under extreme stress.
The vehicles that competed in the Dakar 2014 were equipped with Cursor 13 engines, with a displacement of 13 litres, capable of providing 900 hp and peak torque of 1,100 Nm at 3,800 rpm. High power, rapid load response, maximum robustness and reliability are the main characteristics of these engines that use the same technology as the introduced Euro VI engines for Iveco heavy range vehicles.
The Dakar, the most important world off-road rally that captures the attention of millions of fans every year, started on 5 January from Rosario in Argentina and finished on Saturday 18 January at Valparaíso, in Chile. This year's edition was the longest Dakar since the competition arrived in South America. The route covered more than 9,000 kilometres in total, 5,000 of which were special trials. There were a total of 13 stages to reach the Chilean port of Valparaíso, having crossed the highest mountain of the Andes in Bolivia. This year the Dakar once again proved to be a challenge of resistance, largely determined by the reliability and sturdiness of the vehicles in the race.
For further information please visit www.iveco.com/Dakar, which includes access to all the photographic material collected during the event.
Iveco at the Dakar since 1982
The history of the Paris-Dakar began way back in 1977, but only the 1980 rally saw the participation of trucks for the first time. In 1982 the Dakar adventure also began for Iveco, a long journey full of extraordinary results and unforgettable moments. This experience, which saw Iveco involved only as a technical partner, led to the South American rally of 2011, in which Iveco participated as an official manufacturer's team.
In 2012 Iveco obtained the most important result with Gerard De Rooy and his team, achieving 1st, 2nd and 6th place in the overall standings. A feat that has remained in the memory of rally enthusiasts.
