• Terranova secures second position
At the end of two long days, the MINI ALL4 Racing vehicles racing of the Monster Energy Rally Raid Team finally are back in the bivouac in Iquique, Chile. In Bolivia, the crews had to spend the night without their teams and their mechanics. But Krzysztof Holowczyc, Orlando Terranova and Nani Roma were both careful and fast and so, they all crossed the finish line at Iquique in top-six positions. Argentinean pairing Orlando Terranova / Bernardo ‘Ronnie’ Graue finished second, Holowczyc and his French navigator Xavier Panseri came fifth and the French-Spanish pairing Nani Roma / Michel Périn finished right behind them, in sixth.
All the three drivers were particularly thrilled by the Bolivians. “The Bolivians made a great effort and the accommodation was fantastic,” Roma said. “The people were just incredible and there were thousands of spectators. It was just great.” Holowczyc was of the same opinion. “The people are really friendly. But when you are racing at about 5000 metres above sea level and don’t see anybody, you slightly feel as if racing in another world.” In addition, the crews did not only have to work on their cars but they also had to share a room with the other drivers. “We slept with 50 other drivers in one room,” added the Pole. “There was a lot of snoring and other noises I don’t want to describe in detail, now.”
The extraordinary height represented an additional challenge. “Checking the car in this height was really exhausting,” reveals Roma. “Just like Holowczyc, the one or the other also suffered from headaches. “I felt the height and there was a slight knocking in my head. And I’m happy to now be back on sea level.”
The first part of the marathon stage – to Bolivia – represented a particularly demanding challenge, with the weather making things even more difficult, for the drivers. Rain and coldness represented a particular obstacle for everybody. But on the way back, they were rewarded with the unique landscape around the salt lake at Uyuni: “The salt lake we started on today was incredible,” revealed Roma. In addition, there was a special starting procedure. “Five vehicles started on the salt lake side by side,” said Holowczyc. “What an atmosphere!”
And at the finish, the atmosphere was just as great as the vehicles once again charged down the huge dune and straight into the bivouac. Terranova was delighted with having finished runner-up, with Holowczyc following right behind him in third. Roma proved to be a true team player and followed his Polish team-mate throughout the stage. “Today I stayed behind him to be able to help him in the case of any problem,” Roma said. “After all, we definitely want one of our Monster Energy Rally Raid Team drivers to make it to the podium.”
Tomorrow, the drivers and navigators may sleep late as it’s the day of rest. For the mechanics, however, this doesn’t apply. They have to subject all the cars to extensive check-ups and prepare them for the final stages through Chile and Argentina.
