Laia Sanz: "Racing the Dakar in a Seat would be awesome"

In an interview, Laia Sanz reveals her expectations for the upcoming Dakar and shows her interest in the world of four wheels.

Laia Sanz is a SEAT ambassador and competes in the Dakar in the motorcycle category, riding an official KTM 450 Rally. In 2018 she takes part in the Dakar for the eighth time, with the aim of always finishing among the top fifteen and, above all, of completing the race. The Catalan rider dreams of racing the Dakar in cars in the future, and would love to do so with SEAT, a brand she has been linked to for several years. In the following interview, the Spanish rider reveals her expectations for the upcoming Dakar and her interest in cars.

It’s your eighth Dakar, and it’s shaping up to be the toughest in a long time. How have you prepared?

“This year I think I’ve done a very good job. I’ve trained very hard, because I also took part in the Enduro World Championship. That’s why I’ve done an intense physical preparation. A difficult Dakar is expected this year, with a lot of altitude, so you have to be well prepared. At the start, the dunes of Peru will be very demanding, and at the end the heat in Argentina will be too. I’ve trained more on the motorcycle than in other years, and I think I’ve worked better. Now, let’s see how we do in the Dakar.”

What are your expectations? In 2015 you finished ninth in the Dakar, can you improve on that?

“First we have to finish, which is always very difficult in a Dakar. But I’m competitive, and what I want is to do it well. For now, the goal must be to always be among the top fifteen. If the race goes well, I’ll try to improve and finish as high as possible.”

What do you see as the toughest part of the upcoming Dakar?

“The first week will be very tough, because there’s a complicated dune section. But the second week scares me more than the first, because there are two marathon stages and we also reach altitude in Bolivia, which takes a heavy toll. To finish, we have the heat in Argentina, and we know those kilometres are going to be very hard.”

As a SEAT ambassador, you’ve had the chance to try the SEAT León Cup Racer several times. What do you like most about the car?

“Without a doubt, that it’s a race car, and its feel is that of a car truly built for racing. The braking is spectacular, and so is its cornering, and it behaves fantastically both on the track and on the road. I’ve always had a lot of fun with the SEAT León.”

What was the experience of winning the 24 Hours of Barcelona like?

“The 24 Hours of Barcelona are always special. I’ve taken part five times now, and it’s a race I really enjoy because of the atmosphere there. When we won in our category in 2014 it was spectacular, a great experience. There were only two of us drivers, and it was very tough, but it was worth it. I’ve also raced the SEAT León Eurocup there and had a lot of fun. Whenever I get the chance, I love taking part in this kind of competition, and it’s a very good way to learn about four wheels, which is what I’d like to do in the future.”

Speaking of four wheels: can you imagine racing the Dakar in a car? And if it were a SEAT…

“It would be awesome, and it would be awesome if it were in a SEAT. I hope it can become a reality one day.”

A goal for the Dakar 2018?

“To finish happy. The result is always important, but finishing satisfied is what I think matters most. The truth is I’ve worked very hard this year; I haven’t had luck in the world championship, but I think the reward will come in the Dakar… I hope so. The goal is to finish among the top fifteen, but above all, to finish happy.”