Originally, the main objective of Martin Šoltys’ return to the Moroccan sands was to get a proper test ahead of the Dakar Rally. However, the Buggyra ZM Racing driver delivered much more in the Buggyra Invictus.
-- Together with Vlastimil Miksch and Tomáš Šikola, he secured third place in the truck category of the Rallye du Maroc, competing against Dakar winners and other top crews. He also finished second in the final stage. More important than the result itself, however, is the confirmation for Buggyra that the technology – especially the engine and turbocharger – is working exactly as it should.
After a long break from racing, Šoltys returned to an environment he knows well. For Buggyra, the Rallye du Maroc was, above all, a crucial part of its preparations for the Dakar. The technical innovations were to be tested in conditions that cannot be simulated in Europe, and the crew were to clock up as many kilometres as possible in the sand. “We chose Morocco mainly because we had problems with a faulty turbo at this year’s Dakar. There’s nowhere else to test it but in a country like this. Nowhere in the Czech Republic or Europe is it possible to simulate such long runs and, above all, the gruelling heat,” explained Šoltys.
The test went a treat. The Buggyra Invictus truck completed all five stages without any technical issues, and Šoltys gradually found his rhythm. The result was third place in the overall standings behind the winner, Mitchell van den Brink, and Martin Macík. “We’ve been driving here for a week without a single problem; everything worked perfectly. We’ve accomplished our mission. We’ve got the engine and its components ready for the Dakar,” said the Czech driver.
Van den Brink, driving an Iveco, dominated four of the five stages and emerged as the winner of the Rallye du Maroc. Šoltys saved his best result for the very end. He finished second in the fifth stage, 10 minutes and 46 seconds behind the winner, Van den Brink. Overall, the Buggyra crew took third place, 2 hours, 3 minutes and 13 seconds behind the winner. “I’m delighted we finished third; on the final day we were quite close to winning the stage and weren’t too far behind Macík. It proved that the truck works. When everything comes together in terms of navigation and mechanics, and I don’t make a mistake, the result can be a good one,” said Šoltys.
However, Morocco was certainly not just about the results. The crew had to cope with high temperatures, fast sections, rocks, riverbeds, deep sand and high dunes. According to Šoltys, the first two days were physically extremely demanding. The temperature in the cockpit hovered around 40 degrees. “I didn’t expect we’d be driving this fast in Morocco. It was tough at first and my body had to get used to the knocks, the jolts and the heat. By the third day, it was fine, and today when we arrived, the lads and I were saying we could easily have carried on for another week,” said Martin Šoltys, describing the rally.
It was precisely the complexity of the Rallye du Maroc that proved to be one of the greatest benefits for Buggyra. During the event, Šoltys experienced practically everything he might encounter at the Dakar. And there was even a moment of crisis. “There are fast sections here, lots of sand, big dunes, heavy sand, and high, very sharp dunes. Today we had one such close call there, when we were driving down a dune on the front wheels and got quite a fright. I was pleasantly surprised by how comprehensive this rally is and how it offered everything we need to test,” said Šoltys after the final fifth stage.
On-board mechanic Tomáš Šikola was also satisfied. According to him, the Moroccan rally offered the crew conditions practically identical to those at the Dakar. “The rally was absolutely stunning. It’s just like the Dakar, except the stages are always shorter. There were dunes, rocks and riverbeds here. I think we’re well prepared for the Dakar and we’re ready to go,” said Šikola with a smile.
For the Buggyra ZM Racing team, the Rallye du Maroc thus fulfilled several objectives at once. The engine and turbocharger completed the gruelling event without any technical issues, Šoltys got back into the racing rhythm after a long break, and the team gained valuable insights ahead of further African challenges. On top of that came the bonus of third place and the second-fastest time in the final stage.
“Of course, we’re most pleased with the result, but I’ll say it again: we weren’t here so much for the result. We came here mainly to test the engine components, and especially the turbo. I think we tested a lot here. That’s what I’m most pleased about. I hope we’ve sorted out this problem and it won’t happen again,” concluded Šoltys.
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