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Interview with Dakar winner Ricky Brabec
Interview with Dakar winner Ricky Brabec
The Dakar in Saudi Arabia was fairer than the one in South America
Ricky Brabec achieved the longed-for Dakar triumph for Honda – and on top of that the first Dakar victory for an American. MOTORRAD spoke to the 28-year-old Californian.
Peter Mayer
02/17/2020
Since returning to rallying in 2013, Honda has tried to win the Dakar rally – and so far has always had to line up behind KTM. At the 2020 edition of the legendary Wustenhatz, Ricky Brabec finally won the long-awaited triumph for the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer – and on top of that, the first Dakar victory for an American.
First of all about yourself. Where do you live?
Brabec: I live with my parents near Los Angeles, specifically in Hesperia. That’s on the edge of the Mojave Desert. An ideal place for a rally driver. I can practically drive out of my garage into the desert to train. If I want to Las Vegas (laughs).
Before your rally outings, you specialized in desert races in the USA.
Brabec: That’s correct. I have already won all known events here. The Baja 250, 500 and 1000 and almost all titles awarded in the Desert Race series.
And then Honda signed you for the Dakar.
Brabec: Right. That was in 2016. This year I drove my first Dakar. The premiere went pretty well. I immediately took ninth place in the overall standings. Then three years of epidemic followed. In 2017 I won my first Dakar stage, but then I dropped out. In 2018, too, I had to give up with an engine failure. The greatest disappointment was then the Dakar 2019. I was leading the overall standings when I retired on the eighth stage (note: the Dakar 2019 comprised ten stages) with an engine failure.
Yes, how do we remember. That was a bitter moment. This year the CRF 450 Rally held out. Something has been changed technically?
Brabec: Actually only details. The bike built up too much heat in the past few years. The technicians worked on that.
The Dakar took place in Saudi Arabia for the first time this year. There were big differences to the editions in South America?
Brabec: Yes, Saudi Arabia is much better. In South America, many drivers and teams were familiar with the terrain from other rallies. As a driver with little Dakar experience, that wasn’t fair. In Saudi Arabia, the reset button was practically pressed. Nobody knew the area. It all came down to the driver again.
Honda
Full speed ahead: The Honda CRF 450 Rally was only able to develop its potential with the coolness of the experienced desert racer Ricky Brabec
Some drivers thought the route was too fast. You too?
Brabec: Maybe she was a little too fast. But the site was also new for the organizer. Like us drivers, he had hardly any experience there either. I think the track selection will be different next year.
The Dakar in Saudi Arabia is politically controversial. Is that also an issue for you as a driver?
Brabec: In the run-up, I was already in doubt whether that was the right decision by the organizers. But at the rally itself, I didn’t have any negative experiences. The people were very friendly, many spoke English. I felt good.
What makes a good rally driver?
Brabec: First of all, you have to be able to read the terrain. Know where to go fast and where to be careful. The decisive factor, however, is to perfect driving with a roadbook. Johnny Campbell and Jimmy Lewis (note: American ex-Dakar drivers) were of great help. Practicing road book driving is more important than going to the gym. Many can drive fast, everyone can read. It is important to learn to be able to do both at the same time (laughs).
In previous Dakar rallies, the drivers received the road book the evening before. This allowed the navigators of the large plants to work out the best routes for their team drivers for the next day. In this Dakar, the road book was only distributed at the start for six stages. Was that a step forward in terms of equal opportunities??
Brabec: Yes. You should do it this way at every stage in the future. Also because you don’t have to read the road book for a few hours in the evening, but can relax during this time. That too is a contribution to safety.
There were also two marathon stages, while only the rider was allowed to work on the motorcycles. The duration was limited to 10 minutes for the first time. Has this also increased equality of opportunity?
Brabec: No. On the marathon stages, we can only take the spare parts and tools with us that we can stow on the motorcycles. That is not much. A couple of levers, zip ties and small items. So there is not much that can be repaired or exchanged. And ten minutes are enough to do nothing (laughs).
There are voices calling for even more drastic measures and a return to old values in this regard. External help should therefore no longer be allowed. Do you agree??
Brabec: No, this is not a good idea. Either you drive fast on the stages or you screw on the motorcycles afterwards. Both are not possible.
Honda
The Red Sea: Since the Dakar 2013, Honda has been trying to win the Dakar with concentrated power – the eighth attempt was successful
So far, interest in the Dakar in the USA has been limited. Did your victory influence the status in your home country?
Brabec: Secure. But interest already increased last year when, as I said, I was in the lead, but then had these technical problems. Hopefully this will also attract more American participants. Even if the Dakar costs a lot of money and effort as a private driver.
With Andrew Short, another potential American Dakar winner is already in the starting blocks.
Brabec: Yes, that’s right. Drivers like Andrew are very rare. He was a successful supercrosser and motocrosser. To switch to rallying from there and finish sixth overall in the second Dakar (note: Dakar 2019) is sensational. He often comes to my house and we train together.
Rallying also has brutal sides. The risk is high. This year two motorcyclists died in the Dakar, one of them Paulo Goncalves, your former teammate. Isn’t rallying Russian roulette on motorcycles?
Brabec: Risk is part of our sport. We know that at some point we will fall and that it can end badly. We lost a friend again on this Dakar. But we continue. We do what Paulo would have done.
Now Honda finally has the longed-for Dakar victory. Do you know whether Honda is leaving the Dakar stage?
Brabec: I only know so much. I have a contract with Honda. And that goes until Dakar 2022 (laughs).
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