In the second stage, the “Izoton Sport” crew managed to avoid serious technical problems, and the chosen solutions in the sandy sections brought tangible benefits.
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After the finish, Mindaugas Sidabras said that this time the biggest challenges were deep ruts and very difficult fešfeš sections. However, the Lithuanians gained an advantage on this special stage by using slightly different tires than their competitors, which was reflected in the results.
Those tires worked very well on the sand.
“We finished the second day. A fun day. The start was very tough, with a lot of fešfeš. We barely didn’t get stuck in the ruts. But we overcame those ruts. Then there was a lot of sand, so our decision to choose KR2 model tires paid off. They were different from all the other participants in our class, and it was very noticeable. Those tires worked very well on the sand.
Ernestas navigated everywhere without mistakes, although there were really many roads and paths. Argentina is really surprising because the organizers manage to create such varied special stages in one day, with everything included. Also, there are crowds of people everywhere. We had a 500-kilometer transfer, so in every town, crowds of people greet us, everyone waves. And the day is long because of the many transfers. We will rest and continue driving tomorrow,” said Mindaugas Sidabras.
Co-driver Ernestas Česokas said that the crew spent most of the day driving on narrow roads and sandy sections, where it was very important not to get stuck and to maintain a steady pace.
According to him, an additional challenge was the fešfeš dust, which severely limited visibility. For this reason, the duo is considering removing the windshield.
“The second day, as we predicted, was a slalom in the sand. A very interesting surface. Both fešfeš and dunes overgrown with vegetation. In terms of navigation, it was not very difficult. We just had to watch the meters to see what was happening where. Mostly everything took place on roads. There were many worn spots, so we tried not to get stuck.
We will probably rip the glass out
By the way, we would have been happier driving the special stage without the windshield because the fešfeš inside was swirling around, and visibility was very poor.
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With the wipers, we were not wiping water or rain, but sand. Sometimes the wiper couldn’t even clean as much sand as was thrown onto the windshield. We are preparing for tomorrow. A longer day awaits, with a section of gray dunes. Also, we will probably rip the glass out,” added Ernestas Česokas.
In the second special stage, the crew of Mindaugas Sidabras and Ernestas Česokas took second place in the SSV class. The Lithuanians completed the distance in 2 hours 7 minutes 13 seconds and were 21 minutes 31 seconds behind the class leaders. Counting the results of two special stages, the “Izoton Sport” duo is classified in third place in the SSV standings.
On Wednesday, participants face one of the toughest challenges in this rally – a 408-kilometer-long special stage around San Rafael. The total daily distance with transfers will exceed 570 kilometers.
Information provided by the organizers shows that in the third stage, athletes will face a very diverse surface. About 45% of the route will be dirt, 20% dried lake beds, 15% sand, and 15% dunes. Rocky sections and a small portion of asphalt are also planned.
Another serious challenge will be the altitude changes. The route profile shows that participants will climb from 780 to as high as 2715 meters above sea level. Such conditions will require not only precise navigation but also additional mechanical endurance.
More news about the “Izoton Sport” team’s performance in the third stage of the World Rally Raid Championship in Argentina can be found on the team’s Facebook page.
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