~ Auto Buzz ~: On The Record: Alexandre Kowalski Yamaha team director describes the Dakar Rally past and present.

Yamaha has always invested a lot in the Dakar Rally, a unique human and sport experience. We never completely quit the race, although there was less implication when Stephane Peterhansel switched from two to four wheels in 1999 after claiming six Dakar victories in eight years with Yamaha. This year, we have factory support through the headquarters in Japan and Europe. When Yamaha Motor France was mainly involved, we mostly had French riders. We are now an international team and are pleased to welcome an Italian, Alessandro Botturi, alongside Olivier Pain and Michael Metge. To clinch a Dakar victory, you need to be a complete rider: Determination and a race strategy to manage the body and machine throughout two weeks of extreme racing are crucial. Yamaha believes a lot in the Dakar project. We are aiming at winning. Olivier Pain has constantly improved, finishing ninth, sixth and, last year, third overall. He has matured a lot. Now he can push and win. Alessandro Botturi is experienced. Moreover he is a former rugby player at a professional level. He is strong and knows how to play at the maximum level.

Michael Metge is young and had a bad incident in the Sardinia Rally, so he lacks a bit of training on the bike. We are tackling the 2015 Dakar with the new WR450F. The machines are mainly made in France with the support of several subsidiaries. I have a direct link with Michele Rinaldi, who is in charge of the FIM Motocross World Championship program. Thanks to our Japanese engineers, the bike is equipped with electric start. We have a new carbon-fiber monocoque fuel tank. The side protection is also carbon, and we worked on the “reverse” engine with the exhaust behind the cylinder and air filter in front of the rider. Dakar is still far from MotoGP in terms of technology, budget, and human resources. But we are in contact with MotoGP top management, and they are following us. On the eve of the Dakar, I received a text message from Lin Jarvis wishing us all the best for the rally. Regarding the riders, there are no water boys; everyone does his own race. Later, according to the results, we will decide our race strategy and, eventually, team orders. We are used to dealing with strong riders. I was with Edi Orioli when he won in 1996 and with Stephane Peterhansel in 1997 and ’98. The Dakar is well suited for Yamaha , as we are a family where team spirit prevails.

Edi Orioli was a great champion. When he joined Yamaha in 1996, he already had three Dakar victories under his belt—one with Honda in 1988 and two with Cagiva in 1990 and ’94. Stephane Peterhansel had already claimed four successes, all with Yamaha (1991-93/95). They were rivals, so I was totally transparent and equal. That year, Peterhansel crashed in the first part of the race. After this incident, the whole team was dedicated to Orioli. I miss the navigation in Africa. Today the special stages are very fast, and the road book doesn’t play the same role. The bivouac was in the middle of nowhere. The main concern then was to have the trucks with spare parts at the bivouac. Many times, they got lost. It was the beginning of satellite communication, and it was hard to connect. The Dakar Rally in South America is a modern race. From a technological point of view, we are facing new challenges. For example, in Africa, we didn’t have the issue of altitude. This year, the riders will cover 60 miles in Bolivia at an altitude that varies between 4,300 and 5,000 yards high. Today we are in the “web spirit.” In the 1990s, 30 journalists followed the race. This year, there are approximately 280 permanent media for a total of 1800, including daily accreditations, technicians, and consultants. The exposure is massive. South America is an important region for the market. Yamaha is racing to improve its brand image, but the Dakar Rally remains an extraordinary human adventure.