Chery Rely Fleet Gets All Ready to Set out for Dakar

As the 2010 Dakar Rally is approaching, Chinese Rely Fleet of Chery has finished all preparation work, and is now waiting for the kick-off of the most dangerous race in the world.

It is reported that, at the beginning of this month, hundreds of participating vehicles were waiting in the French port city of Le Havre for shipment. They will arrive in the venue for the rally before it starts on Jan. 1, 2010 after a 3-week-long journey crossing the Atlantic. Among all the vehicles, Chery X5, the first ever representative of Chinese independent auto brands in Dakar Rally draws people’s eyeballs with its bright blue painting and powerful muscular features.

During the countdown to the rally, the supporting team of Rely Feet emerges. The Italian Tecnosport team which owns years of experience in Dakar Rally will provide technical and supporting services to the fleet. It is known that, Rely Fleet’s international supporting team composed of more than twenty members has rich experience, profound skills and mutually complementary advantages, and therefore can ensure the best performance of the racing vehicle in the complicated and changeable environment.

In addition to the many experienced technical staff members who have participated in Dakar Rally for many times, the supporting team has another 3 “magic weapons” – 3 heavy-duty trucks, T4, T5 and T6 which have different purposes. T4 is the service vehicle which will follow Rely X5 closely and do rush repairs for any accidents that might happen. T5 is the fast rescue vehicle which will bring technical staff to the site to perform repair work in the shortest time. And, T6 will carry the components of the racing vehicle.

This time, Roberto Di Persio will act as the navigator of the fleet’s No. 1 driver, Lu Ningjun. He has participated in Dakar Rally for 10 times and once assisted a driver in achieving a good result of the 8th place. Marc Bartholome, another skillful navigator of Dakar Rally will act as the navigator of the fleet’s 2nd driver, Jiang Yaohuan. He has participated in 14 Dakar races, and is very experienced. At present, the two drivers and the two navigators of Chery Rely Fleet are undergoing physical fitness training together, so that they will have sufficient time for communication and consequently bring about good cooperation.

Such an impressive and well-selected line-up is prepared in an attempt to guarantee that the racing vehicles can cross the terrains of vast desert, gobi, wilderness and mountain, etc in 16 days, and at last finish the nearly 9000km race successfully. Dakar Rally, which is known for its steep and tough terrains, does not only test the performance of the vehicle, also it verifies the endurance and skills of the driver. At the same time, it challenges the response of the supporting team and the cooperation of the fleet as a whole.

The two drivers expressed that, with the assistance of high-performance racing vehicle X5, skillful and cooperative supporting team, and experienced navigators, they had enough confidence in crossing the Andes and Atacama Desert successfully to show the outstanding quality of Chinese brand cars, and ultimately creating the Dakar era for Chinese independent auto brands.

X5 ready for shipment in French port city of Le Havre

Racing vehicle and supporting vehicle

No. 1 driver Lu Ningjun and his navigator Roberto Di Persio

No. 2 driver Jiang Yaohuan and his navigator Marc Bartholome

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