Orlando Terranova figured his Dakar Rally profession was wrapped up after 2023, even when it ended on a disappointing notice. Nevertheless, it may not be over for him simply but.
Talking with Carburando Radio on Thursday, Terranova admitted he may not be against returning to the race in 2026, supplied his coronary heart and thoughts are keen to decide to it.
“I made a decision final 12 months to cease after eighteen Dakars,” he started. “I’m nonetheless involved with all of the drivers and observe them carefully, however I’m on the lookout for motivation to return in 2026.
“Final 12 months, I felt like I used to be going with the circulate and never on motivation. If there’s something that I’m clear about in life, it’s that issues need to be accomplished once you actually need to. I’m not doing it to show something to anybody or have a determine of something. I do it as a result of I really feel prefer it.”
2023 marked Terranova’s seventeenth Dakar and fifteenth on 4 wheels. Racing a Prodrive Hunter for Bahrain Raid Xtreme, he notched a 3rd in Stage #3 however retired the subsequent day after hurting his decrease again on a tough touchdown. It was his second Dakar within the Hunter after ending a career-best fourth in 2022 with a stage win.
Terranova made his Dakar début on a motorbike in 2005 adopted by the 2007 version, although he failed to complete both. When the race moved to his native South America in 2009, he made the swap to driving a automobile and bounced between numerous producers—BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota—throughout the subsequent 5 years. He discovered some stability with X-raid Mini in 2014, with whom he raced via 2021; his greatest outing was a fifth in 2013 and 2014, whereas he scored 4 stage victories in 2015.
His most up-to-date rally raid was the 2023 Rallye du Maroc, the place positioned a dismal twenty-first however ended the race by profitable the final leg. The 12 months earlier than, he completed runner-up to Prodrive colleague Guerlain Chicherit.
Throughout Thursday’s interview, Terranova recalled a dialog with 2024 Dakar winner Carlos Sainz in Morocco that caught with him.
“He had a chat with me after the Rallye du Maroc final 12 months,” Terranova continued. “He requested me there, ‘What are you going to do?’ I stated, ‘No, I’m not going, I don’t really feel prefer it,’ and he tells me, ‘Oh, it’s good that you could be so sure.’ I needed to come again.”
Terranova additionally added he’s keen to work with Prodrive once more for his 2026 effort. The crew nonetheless fields the Hunter, although their present efforts are on creating the Dacia Sandrider forward of 2025.
