Published on: 23/02/2012 Updated on: 24/02/2025
From the vision of Thierry Sabine, who is said to have dreamed of a race like the Dakar after he risked getting lost in the desert during the Abidjan-Nice raid, through the year of the first race in 1979 to the last adventure, this competition never ceases to involve and enthrall millions of spectators wrapped in the fascination of danger and engines.
Even the 2012 edition, far from its African origins but called Dakar as always despite the fact that this year's program crossed Latin America, could not fail to be exciting. Argentina, Chile and Peru: racing over a course of more than 9,000 km in temperatures close to 45 degrees. From the start in Mar del Plata in Argentina to Lima, the capital of Peru and the final destination of this Dakar.
MA-FRA could not miss the most exciting competition in the motorsport world. The Milanese company partnered with Giusy Concina and her Nissan Patrol in this 2012 edition. The Friulian sportswoman was able to challenge the adventure of the desert and white roads of the New World by tackling the Andes Mountains driving a Nissan Patrol purchased 25 years ago, which Giusy considers almost as if it were a small puppy to be cared for: "In 1989 I bought a Nissan Patrol, short wheelbase blue, it was used, parked a bit aside in the parking lot of the Nissan dealership in Udine."
From that first step, however, the eagerness to take on a big challenge like the Dakar was great from the very first days, "The Patrol was certainly the right vehicle to accomplish something meaningful like a trip to the desert. After two days, the Little Patrol came home, and a whole new story began, in fact, to take on a desert challenge like the Dakar, there were things to change."
Indeed, the first adventures were very challenging, faced despite some minor mishaps along the way. "The Patrol is strong and determined, not giving up in the face of anything: we changed air filters, punctured one tire, shoveled sand a few times."
After the desert rides, however, came walks around the Boot: "The Little Patrol, he has never had any kind of problem, and he has always had a lot of fun participating in rallies and events dedicated to 4×4s as well."
However, the allure of the challenge returned a few years later. Maintenance and upgrades thus returned the Patrol to its natural environment: "In 2004, there is a different milestone: an anniversary, it's been 10 years since a very bad accident in the race, it's time to close the accounts with that desert, and Patrol is happy to be able to do so; so a stop at the workshop, to check all the oils, change all the filters, set up the electrical system for Xtrax and GPS. New tools, which Patrol had not had before; and off a month of sailing to land in Qatar."
As always, there are many preparations before embarking on an adventure like the Dakar, but the spirit of the Piccolo Patrol felt the scent of the desert becomes indomitable: "The Baja Qatar, ten years earlier had had a nefarious epilogue, but aboard the Patrol things change, one day of technical and administrative checks, one day for the prologue and one day of the race. The adrenaline is at its peak, all the other vehicles are gasoline-powered, with much more powerful engines, but my Little Patrol has good torque, and so we manage to plow through the dunes one after the other, getting all the Waypoints on the course right; and the legendary Patrol, crosses the finish line in first position in the National Category to which I had entered it. Not only that, but he repeated this fabulous result in 2005 and since then he has always given his best every time we embarked on some adventure."
A lifetime spent racing to get to the 2012 challenge: "Now 22 years have passed: Dakar 2012. Twenty years later always ready on the track! The most dated vehicle: the toughest, most difficult and most dangerous competition ever 20 years later."
Maintenance and the right products can ensure outstanding performance. MA-FRA will be with you from the desert to the road near home: because the easiest road is not always the best road.
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