Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco announces its participation in the next edition of the world’s most famous off-road rally.
Four Iveco vehicles will take on the extreme terrains on the South American route. Two of these will be driven by pilots new to the Iveco Teams: Aleš Loprais and Anton Van Genugten for Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco.
In addition, Gerard De Rooy has prepared a truck for a local Team, La Gloriosa De Rooy Iveco. The vehicle will be driven by the Argentinean pilot Federico Villagra, well known as “El Coyote”, who will run with the support of Iveco Argentinean dealers.
Iveco is back in the legendary Dakar off-road rally as official supporter of Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco. Four Iveco rally trucks – two Powerstar and two Trakker - will compete in the 2016 Dakar (3-16 January), supported by seven Iveco service vehicles.
The 38th edition of the world’s most famous endurance rally will once again be hosted in South America. Starting in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires on January 3rd, 9,000 km route will be raced against the clock, through Argentina and Bolivia.
Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco is composed of the Dutch leader, Gerard De Rooy, Spaniard Josep Vila Roca and two new entries, the Czech pilot Aleš Loprais and Anton Van Genugten from the Netherlands.
De Rooy is the designated pilot of the first Iveco Powerstar (sleeper-cab version) and leads the team. Dutch-born De Rooy is no stranger to the race, having won the truck category in 2012 driving an Iveco Powerstar, and taken a closely-fought second place two years ago. His co-pilot, Moi Torralardona, is an expert navigator and has co-piloted many important Dakar pilots. He and De Rooy tested their working relationship at the recent Rally of Morocco.
A second Powerstar will be driven by Czech pilot Aleš Loprais, one of the Team’s new pilots who has a reputation for speed. Aleš, nephew of 6-time winner of the Paris-Dakar Karel Loprais, is a candidate for victory in the Dakar 2016. Marco Alcayna Ferran, a professional navigator and one of the strongest members of the team, will co-pilot.
Anton van Genugten, the second new driver in the team, is a regular rally pilot. He was chosen by the team to drive the Iveco Trakker carrying spare parts throughout the race. He works as a truck driver, which makes him ideal for this transport job. Anton van Limpt, his faithful navigator for many years, will co-pilot him on this first time on an Iveco rally truck as part of a highly organized team.
Josep Vila Roca, one of the most expert Dakar drivers, will pilot the second Iveco Trakker. A highly competitive, capable and reliable driver, he has participated in many Dakar races, achieving his best result in the Dakar 2011 with a 5th position. His co-pilot will be Xavi Roqeta Colome, an expert Catalan navigator.
For the 2016 edition, Iveco will also support a new local team - La Gloriosa De Rooy Iveco - created by the famous Argentinean rally and car raid pilot Federico Vilagra, who is well known as “El Coyote”. He will drive an Iveco Powerstar – prepared by Gerard De Rooy - in the Dakar 2016, which will be the first time for him in the truck category. He tested the truck in Morocco last October for the first time, achieving a remarkable performance. Jorge Perez Companc, expert navigator and Argentina Rally Champion in 2005, will co-pilot. He is a regular of the Dakar Rally, having participated in all races since 2000.
Also sponsors of the two teams in the Dakar 2016 are FPT Industrial, the CNH Industrial brand that designs and manufactures powertrains for on-road, off-road, marine and power generation applications, and OK Trucks, the brand of pre-owned vehicles certified by Iveco.
Main and Title sponsor of the Team is PETRONAS Lubricants International, the global lubricants manufacturing and marketing arm of PETRONAS, the national oil corporation of Malaysia.
The PETRONAS selection of products, among which PETRONAS URANIA, the engine oil, are the only recommended lubricants and functional fluids for Iveco’s full range of light and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and they are used by the Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco to compete in the 2016 Dakar.
The 2016 edition of the most famous Rally Raid in the world marks the fifth time of the partnership between PETRONAS and Iveco in the Dakar.
Iveco's race vehicles – Strength - Reliable Performance - Endurance
The vehicles have been purpose-built by Iveco for the 2016 Dakar: three Iveco Powerstars and two Iveco Trakker day cabs, manufactured in Spain. In addition to the rally trucks, six support and assistance Trakkers (one 4x4, four 6x6s and one 8x8) and one 7-tonne Daily Van will complete the line-up, providing transport and fulfilling logistical needs for the 20-strong team of mechanics.
The Iveco Trakker, whose versions range from 18 to 70 tonnes, is a vehicle designed to cope with 3 extreme off-road conditions; its new, Stralis-based cabin, is the result of proactive input from both dealers and end-users. From the very start it was engineered to improve drivability and on-board comfort, both essential elements for productivity and safety at work. The Trakker blends strength and reliability with the comfort of new Stralis AD and AT cabs.
The Trakker range is available in both left and right-hand drive, and allows for the tailoring of each version to a specific requirement, thanks to the Iveco Cursor 13 engines and 2 cabins (Hi-Land and Hi-Track). Rigid truck versions are available in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4, 6x6, 8x4 and 8x8 configurations with power ratings of 380, 420 or 440hp. Tractor versions are available in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4 and 6x6 configurations. Perfect for the most extreme off-road conditions, but equally at home with normal road use, Trakkers can be specified to optimise payload and fuel consumption.
The challenging terrain and all-weather conditions that the Iveco trucks will endure during the 9,000 km South American route will suit the versatility and strength of the product. The Iveco Cursor 13 engines - specifically prepared for the race by FPT Industrial at its R&D centre in Arbon, Switzerland - known for their power and durability, will be driving Iveco’s campaign for further success in the Dakar rally. Characterized by fast load response, especially at low rpm, the 6 cylinder 13 liter units, consist of more than 70% standard Euro VI hardware, complimented with hand-picked components from FPT's industrial and marine range engines.
The 2016 Dakar and Iveco ‘Live’ news
2016 is a record-breaking year for the Dakar with a total of 354 vehicles (55 trucks, 110 cars, 143 motorcycles, 46 quad bikes,), 556 competitors and 60 nationalities (including Assistance).
Iveco will keep fans up-to-date throughout the rally on www.iveco.com/dakar
