Motorsports
Nani Roma, first Dakar leader after overcoming cancer: ‘We need humility and calmness’
Nani Roma It not only saved him a very complicated day when he could have said goodbye to his options. Instead, with a great attack with his co-driver Alex Haro, he made a spectacular turnaround on stage 9 with four to go and took the lead in the 2026 Dakar classification. And it’s no coincidence.
This time, luck won’t turn against him like it did last year. He had already saved himself a difficult day on stage 7 as he had a problem with his gearbox (no reverse gear or neutral) and stopping at any point could cause serious problems. Although he damaged his shock absorber and differential when jumping over a ditch, he achieved his goal of surviving and competing in the decisive stages (9th and 10th) of his second Dakar marathon. Then, on stage 9, he attacked with all his might. Once again, you avoid the very serious problem of losing wheels.
In the first stone area, two-time Dakar champion (one by car and one by motorcycle)He suffered two punctures and was left without a spare tire. Luckily for him, it was announced a few days ago that pit stop points would be added. (tire exchange) After that complicated areabecause that’s how he can replace tires He then put on the spare wheel and continued accelerating, but then suffered another puncture.
“I had three punctures today and everyone had problems. Halfway through the special I had already had two flat tires and had to slow down. Then we saw Nasser and other players who were trying to turn, so we did the same, but we found the point,” said Nani Roma.
“Then I got another flat tire, but I managed to get there. I already knew that this morning. The next step will be important. Tomorrow we must have humility and serenity.”Roma was standing and added Became Dakar leader for the first time after returning to competition after overcoming bladder cancer (2022). Not only is Nani back, he’s back to his best level and, as he said a few days ago, he’s at his best with his driving and form. can’t believe it.
this This is the first time he has led the Dakar since 2014. At that time, he won the Dakar in a car, driving a Mini.
A few days ago, MD asked Nani whether he owed anyone anything after suffering major blows in his life in recent years, including a cancer diagnosis in 2022 and a motocross accident with his son Mark. he only believed in his work. And he did it perfectly, but this time he didn’t miss out on luck, which he said was a key factor in this race.
Continue. He knows that in stage 10, when his rivals are further back, he will logically surrender. He will have to grit his teeth to minimize losses and attack again in stage 11. He is the perfect leader. He is aiming for his third Dakar, and second in a car.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
I am a writer at Sportish, where I mainly cover sports news. I’ve also written for The Guardian and ESPN Brasil, and my work has been featured on NBC Sports, SI.com and more. Before working in journalism, I was an athlete: I played football for Colgate University and competed in the US Open Cross Country Championships.
Max Verstappen has said he does not pay much attention to rumors that some teams may have possible technical advantages in their new Formula 1 power units.
It has recently been claimed that Mercedes and Red Bull have found a way to further increase engine power, while other teams are trying to eliminate this possible advantage. The FIA will meet with power unit manufacturers on January 22 to discuss the issue before the season starts.
Rumor has it that such optimization could produce around 15 hp, which is a significant figure at the beginning of a new era in technical regulations.
When asked whether Red Bull had an advantage in the pre-season, Verstappen replied:
“It’s impossible to know. Everyone is trying to do the best they can and I, especially me, have to focus on driving the car. I’m not here to be an engine engineer and explain all the details. Ultimately, this is a matter between the FIA and the engine manufacturers. I drive the car and I believe we always do everything we can to get the best out of the engine.”
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Red Bull Formula 1 team president Laurent Mekies believes the Bulls will be behind their rivals at the start of the 2026 season, given the production of their engines and new aerodynamic rules.
“We know it will be difficult for us, especially at the beginning of the season. I think we will fall behind our rivals, but we need to hold on for a few more months.”
“I hope we come back to the top, but it would be naive to think that Red Bull will be ahead right away. We will be behind at the start,” said Mekis.
Bulls will produce its engines in collaboration with Ford from 2026.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
After several significant personnel changes in the team, Max Verstappen has finally learned who he will be working with in the Red Bull pits for the new season.
At the end of last year, it became known that three key members of the four-time world champion’s headquarters had left. According to De Telegraaf, Jeff Ayton replaced Verstappen’s vehicle control engineer Michael Manning, who left the team after the 2025 season. He has previously worked with other Red Bull drivers and worked temporarily with Verstappen in Manning’s absence last year.
Verstappen’s former engine mechanic David Mart has moved to Audi and his replacement at Red Bull has not yet been determined. Performance engineer Tom Hart is also leaving the team; He will join Williams but will continue to work with the Milton Keynes-based team for a while.
Changes also occurred among mechanics. After Matt Culler moved to the position of Audi’s chief mechanic, Verstappen was replaced as his first mechanic by his twin brother John Culler. He is well known to Max, who has previously held a similar position on the other side of the Red Bull pits, working alongside Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.
Despite rumors about the winter break, Gianpiero Lambiase will remain Verstappen’s race engineer for another season.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
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