Dare to Dakar

In any form of motorsport, only a place on the podium guarantees pride, honour and glory. That’s what defines success.And then there’s the Dakar Rally.Here, just reaching the finish line is considered an incredible achievement. As someone mentioned on Twitter, “Most racing series have 15 races over the entire season. The Dakar Rally is a single 15-day race.” For all of those days, the participants have to endure the harshest of conditions — physical and mental — and at the same time, perform to the very best of their potential. And despite giving it your all, just pure, rotten luck (mechanical failure or a broken bone) could boot you out of the Dakar. With fatality being a cruelly common occurrence, there’s a lot more at stake when it comes to what is also called as the ‘Toughest Race on Earth’.Qatar’s Mohamed Abu Issa knows all of these rigours only too well, which is why he’s keeping it honest when it comes to his expectations from his first run in the car category. “A finish inside the top 15 would be an incredible result for my first Dakar in this category and a feat that not many have achieved,” he tells Gulf Times.The Qatari will be racing for the prestigious, title-winning Mini X-Raid team in the 2017 edition. He is no stranger to the excruciating demands of the Dakar Rally. He has taken part in three editions in the quad category. And he has experienced the dejection. In 2014, his debut year, he finished fourth overall and first in the junior category. But the next two years, he had to withdraw due to mechanical problems, despite being in a good position during the early stages.In the Dakar, apart from exceptional driver/rider skills, you need a strong support team that can keep your machine all primed and ready, each day. And this is where going into this 2017 edition with the backing of a powerhouse team like X-Raid Mini will make Mohamed feel that much more confident.Team effort“Up until this year I had been racing independently. X-Raid Mini are one of, if not the most prestigious and formidable, cross country rally teams in the world. I will be on a team with eight other drivers and large number of mechanical assistance as well doctors, physiotherapists and media. In total the team is over 100 people,” he says.And that kind of support is going to help. The 2017 edition is supposed to be the ‘toughest yet’, according to Dakar Sporting Director, Marc Coma. “There is a huge variety of temperatures during the rally, making it tough on our bodies as well as the longest period of high altitude in Dakar history! We will spend five days above 3000 metres and reach levels of nearly 5000 metres above sea level. That is of course on top of Dakar’s usual traits of long, tough days, complicated navigation and dealing with fatigue. Now if that’s not a challenge I don’t know what is!”High-altitude training is one of the key areas that Mohamed has been working on, to ensure that he is well prepared for the demanding stages in Bolivia.“Altitude is difficult for the body even when resting, let alone when racing at speeds around 180km/h. The lack of oxygen reduces focus, increases tiredness and is known for causing severe headaches. This is a part of the rally that will most likely be very difficult, and I have taken this into account very seriously and altitude training has been a big part of my training programme,” he says.The Qatari has been going the extra distance to ensure that he’s well prepared. “I simulate training at high altitude using an oxygen machine. I have also been sleeping in an altitude tent for the last week and will continue to do so until we leave. This enables my body to get used to resting while being a high altitude,” he adds. “All racers will suffer with the high altitude and those who don’t take into account the extremity of such conditions, could be taking a big risk.” What to expectThe 26-year-old got an inkling of what to expect from the Dakar, in the car category, when he took part in the 2016 Morocco Rally, where he managed to finish in 38th place. “The Morocco experience was definitely a huge and very tough learning experience, the tough technicalities and skills required to compete with the top racers became clear! It’s not going to be an easy challenge but practice makes you perfect,” he states. “The experience needed to race a Dakar is never enough and you can always do more, however the experience in Morocco was definitely a step in the right direction and I’m looking forward to gaining more and more experience throughout training and all the races to come in my career.” Ever since he got the opportunity to test the Mini buggy, Mohamed has been challenging his inner Rambo to train hard and get into shape for the punishment that is going to come his way. From intense workouts to a strictly monitored diet plan, nothing has been spared to get him ready for the D-day. The Dakar Rally begins on January 2 and Mohamed will be hoping that his efforts will help him achieve his aim. “It feels amazing to be presented with such an amazing opportunity. The unknown is always daunting but I always love a challenge. I am going into Dakar, ready to learn and start gaining the experience I need to complete my ultimate goal of winning the Dakar Rally one day,” said the Qatari.May the force be with him.