PHASE 8: MARATHONE TAPPE BRINGS TIM AND TOM CORONEL PROFITS

Being able to rely on yourself in the Dakar, and knowing how to use the material sparingly, is important in the marathon stage. If there’s one thing Tim and Tom Coronel have learned over the years, it’s that. Among other things, that experience has brought the brothers a lot in the marathon stage – the combination of stages 7 and 8, without service in the bivouac. Three places in the rankings, for example, where they are now 27th.

Tim and Tom know how to handle the whip so gently. And so they also know what the traps are that the route compilers deliberately set down. “They try to disorient you and tempt you to demolish the car on the stones and rocks”, Tim teaches after arriving in the bivouac of Neom after the eighth stage. “You really have to have the patience not to go too fast, otherwise you will at least break the tires.”

It was seriously difficult in the 375 km stage from Sakaka to Neom. Not only in terms of the environment, but also in terms of navigation. “They had put the waypoints very sneaky in places that were difficult to reach,” remarked Tom, “but we got through it reasonably well.”

Tim complimented his brother on the navigational work. “Because Tom navigates so well, I can keep up to speed. It gives so much confidence when that goes well. It also makes a big difference that the car holds up so well that we don’t hurt it too much. Then we dare to take more risks. ” Tom: “Nothing flickers, we don’t hear strange noises, it just feels good. Then I can also say to Tim: “Go a little faster”. Twice I had to say that he had to go back a bit, because we were going a little too fast in my opinion. Once when we were in the dust, once when the car started jumping in the rough terrain. ”

Twice the brothers stopped briefly, to put up an SRT that was lying on its side and near a car that needed a tire. “But that was a different size, so we couldn’t help that,” says Tim. “Furthermore, we were able to keep rolling. It was beautiful, in the sand, between the rocks, from dune top to dune top. Fantastic tests, really Dakar worthy. ”

After two stages with rankings in 25th place, the mechanics are allowed to revisit The Beast in Neom, but more than “a small turn” is not necessary, according to Tom. “We didn’t break anything. Both us and The Beast are ready for the next round, a loop near Neom. If the weather is as beautiful as it was today… We are privileged people. ”

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