These Dakar rally trucks really take a pounding, so it is impressive that the Iveco team has all of their trucks performing well.
PETRONAS Team De Rooy IVECO has delivered consistent performances in the first 6 stages of the Rally race, with Janus van Kasteren achieving two excellent 3rd places in Stages 3 and 4, and young Mitchel van den Brinck finishing Stage 6 with an excellent 11th placement, his best result ever in the Dakar.
The team has enjoyed the rest day in a positive mood, having achieved a 4th and an 8th placement in the overall standings, and the fast assistance truck in 14th.
The PETRONAS Team De Rooy IVECO has tackled the challenge of the sandy tracks of the Dakar 2022 Rally with grit, achieving placements in the Top 10 throughout the first half of the race.
Janus van Kasteren has performed consistently throughout the first half of the race, finishing Stages 3 and 4 with an excellent 3rd place, and Stage 5 in 5th. In Stage 6, he had a small set back early on, taking a wrong path because of the dust, and later a flat tyre, which cost him some time, so that he arrived in 8th place. However, he is satisfied with the overall results of the first week, which he closed with a 4th place in the overall standings, and is taking on the second week with renewed determination.
Vick Versteijnen is also very satisfied with his IVECO truck and the performance in the first week of the rally. He finished the Stage 6 in 10th place, expertly handling the dangerous tracks of the beginning of the Special, with no problems of flat tyres. He particularly enjoyed the high dunes of the last part of the special, and the excellent collaboration with navigator Tuen van Dal and mechanic Randy Smits.
Michel van den Brink, behind the wheel of the team’s fast assistance truck, has also been performing very well, with navigator Richard Mouw and mechanic Bert van Donkelaar. The 19-year-old, who is only in his second Dakar Rally as a driver, is exceeding expectations and has achieved his best result in Stage 6 with an excellent 11th place. He is delighted with the IVECO Trakker, which has enabled him to keep a fast pace while avoiding to take risks in order to be available to provide assistance to the team’s trucks if necessary.
