The Dakar 2020 is steadily approaching. While the Big Shock Racing crew, consisting of Martin Macik, Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda, are preparing for the start of the seven-day Rallye du Maroc, the most crucial check-up before the next Dakar race, the Dakar madness is starting in the Czech Republic. Places have just been announced and a limited number of tickets will be pre-sold at the Obsessed with Dakar Project Meeting. The fans will again have the opportunity to meet our riders immediately after their return from Dakar 2020 in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Jan Brabec has prepared some interesting stories for the scheduled discussions. They are mainly associated with an unpleasant fall during the Tunisian tests, when he was injured, and the actual Dakar preparation had to start from scratch. Now Brabec decided to take an unexpected step, much to the surprise of everyone who knows his daring nature. He will skip the Moroccan race so that he can complete the rehabilitation and not endanger his start at the next Dakar. “I decided to skip Morocco. I don’t want to try my luck. I have a leg full of bolts, so it will be more sensible now to continue to work with the physiotherapists and the coach, to meticulously prepare for Dakar,” Brabec said.

After the Rallye du Maroc, Karel and Anežka will set off for Saudi Arabia

Before the January Dakar, the Big Shock Racing team will complete the most challenging part of the preparation for it – Rallye du Maroc, from October 3 to 9. There, the mechanics will have the last chance to tune Macik’s new Iveco truck Charles. “The steering and shifting softened to make driving more comfortable. We also reorganized the complete layout of the accompanying service car. Now we will only play with the settings,” the team leader Martin Macik senior reported. The race is also important for the navigator Frantisek Tomasek, because the navigation system is exactly the same as the Dakar one. After returning from Morocco, the last adjustments will take place before the shipment of Macik’s truck, along with Jan Brabec’s motorbike named Anežka, after his grandmother, and other accompanying cars to Saudi Arabia in December. At the end of December, the Big Shock Racing team will fly to Jeddah, where Dakar will start on January 5, 2020.

For all Dakar fans, a Facebook group Obsessed with Dakar was established, where the fans can follow all updates, take part in discussions and keep their fingers crossed for all the Czech Big Shock Racing Dakar riders.