Ready to go for the Dakar Rally 2006
Just eleven more days to go to the start of the ‘Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz` team`s debut appearance in the most prestigious desert rally of the planet – and the excitement is increasing. In the morning of New Year`s Eve, Lisbon will be the venue of Ellen Lohr`s and Detlef Ruf`s (her co-pilot) start into the Dakar Rally. 16 days and more than 9,000 kilometres later, on 15 th January, the event will end in Senegal `s capital, Dakar . The pairing Lohr/Ruf is going to contest the event with a rally prototype based on the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class. This prototype, the ‘Mercedes ML 350 Evo II` was designed and built by the racing team, ‘ORC Sportservice`, based in Nellingen near Stuttgart .

“For us as a new team, it`s the goal to make it to the finish in our maiden Dakar Rally appearance and to gain a lot of experience,” says Ellen Lohr. “To achieve this goal, we have created professional preconditions, particularly thanks to the major Mercedes-Benz support in the service area. But it`s not for nothing that the Dakar is called the toughest rally of the world – usually, less than 50 percent of the field makes it to the finish.”

Mercedes-Benz Service vehicles modified for the use in the desert
The former DTM driver and her Bavarian co-pilot will be supported by a unique Mercedes-Benz service fleet with vehicles from four different business departments. First off all, there is the Unimog U 400 that has been turned into a true racing truck, in the Unimog plant located in Wörth in the Baden-Württemberg region. Just as the rally prototype it was equipped with a racing suspension of the Dutch company 4Grip. Furthermore, its equipment features safety details such as a roll-cage, bucket seats and safety harnesses. The task of the three-person Unimog crew: to be on site as fast as possible should the rally prototype suffer a problem during the course of a special stage.

The Actros 6x6 for ORC designer Andreas Lennartz and two mechanics is used as rolling spare-parts depot for the official service spots between the stages. The Viano 4Matic crew features the ORC Team Principal, Hans-Erwin Baur, and Ellen Lohr`s most prominent team member, Balbir Singh. Fo! r the Indian, who has been Michael Schumacher`s physiotherapist for ten years, the exhausting trip across Africa also represents a debut. The service car fleet is completed by a Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

Ellen Lohr: “The field is extremely competitive, this year”
Following 20 successful years in road racing, Ellen Lohr moved to the off-road sport in 2004. ”That`s just pure motor racing,” says the former DTM winner, “And the Dakar represents the biggest challenge there is.” In its Dakar debut, the 15-person Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz team will have to battle it out with extremely competitive opponents. “The field is extremely competitive, this year,” adds Lohr. “But I`m convinced that we will be able to secure a proper result, should we succeed in making it to the finish.” The 40-year old was already in the field of last year`s Dakar Rally, with an independently entered buggy, yet, she had to retire already on day four, due to a technical failure.

“At that time, I realised that a professional service team is particularly vital when it comes to marathon racing. It`s just fantastic that we succeeded in creating getting Mercedes-Benz aboard, for this area.” The 28th Dakar Rally starts in Portugal , with its route leading via Spain! , Morocco , Mali , Mauritania and Guinea to Senegal .


Tags: kwik-power, dakar, ellen-lohr, mercedes-benz, lisbon,