The final stage of the Dakar Rally was short but intense. During the mass start, Tim and Tom Coronel were able to show what they were capable of with the Century CR7 one more time. Despite the minor problems during the rally, the twins see potential in the car and can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
The final stage was a relatively short sprint of 61 kilometers. “We had a mass start, so with four cars at the same time,” Tom reflects. “I noticed that Tim was picking up the pace a bit more. That was nice and felt good.”
Playing in the sand
Still, it was important to pay close attention during the final stage. “It was quite a difficult stage, with really mean dunes that went down very steeply. We saw a lot of people in trouble along the way. That’s why you should never underestimate what the organizers will throw at you. But it was a nice test for us and the pace was good. We finished the rally with a good feeling. Yesterday was the toughest stage, but we got through it very well and today was nice as well.”
Small problems, big troubles
The rally itself did not go without problems, which is why Tom looks back on the rally with mixed feelings. “We encountered some small issues, but all together they ruined our ranking. That broken dynamo ruined our race of course, but I’m glad we completed all the rest of the stages. There is a lot of potential in the car and a top twenty would certainly have been possible. When I look back at it now, I think we could have made it into the top fifteen as well. But none of that counts now. This is Dakar, on to next year.”
After the final stage, the entire Coronel Dakar Team was allowed to cross the finish podium, where they received a plaque from race director David Castera. “Now that the rally is over, I would like to thank the team and all of our partners, without their support we couldn’t have done this”, Tom concludes. “And, of course, a word of thanks to all the fans who sent us so many nice messages. Thank you all!”
Coronel Dakar Team is supported by: LKQ, MPM, Toolspecial, Optimal, ERU, Roordink Bedrijfswagens, Efulfilment.eu, Mascot Workwear, 4Brands, BS Forklifts, JBL, Keukenwarenhuis, DHG, Serengeti, Hella, Brondool, Chassis Parts, FEBO, MyFMS, Frits Dijk, Apple King, SuperB, P1, Copernica
