Lorenzo Santolino will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally in January, marking his sixth participation – always as a factory rider for Sherco. So far, his best result is a sixth place, but after a year focused on developing the bike in 2023, he aims to do even better.
In statements to the event’s website, the Spaniard explained that the focus this year was on the development of the bike and the strategy seems to have paid off: ‘This year, alongside the team, we decided not to do all the rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and use that budget to develop the bike and test. We did smaller races and, in the end, we did the Rally of Morocco. We had time to do some tests in the summer in Morocco to develop things on the bike. I think it was positive. We took a step forward. In fact, in the Rally of Morocco, I was consistently in the front group, especially in the first sections of the stage. We improved the handling and stability of the bike. And basically, we also improved the engine reliability without seeking more performance. We also worked on the suspension and geometry of the bike to improve overall handling‘.
As for goals, Santolino wants to finish in the top five, although he knows it won’t be easy: ‘The goal is still to finish in the top five. It’s getting increasingly difficult to break into the top five, with more riders fighting at the top, but if we have two good weeks, I believe we can do it‘.
