Dakar Rally – Kevin Benavides – HRC Rally – Honda CRF450 Rally

ENGLISH VERSION 10.01.18

RALLYING POINT

As a major partner of the 40th Dakar Rally, Mo- A group of percussionists playing the drums and tul needed to express its support through a series a DJ will provide musical performances. A pho- of impressive and original actions. Its marketing to-booth is devoted to the Original by Motul cate- and event organisation specialists were clearly gory of bikers participating in the Dakar without competing in audacity and creativity as seen in the assistance. You'll also see the basic equipment Motul Dakar village booth! In miniature it reflects Motul provides these riders. the atmosphere of the event and of its hosting The Motul booth also presents show-bikes, a re- continent and summarises the missions that Motul laxation corner and products of the Motul MC Care intends to perform all along the 9,000 km rally. range which the public can test on their helmets.

THE DAKAR'S PIONEERING SPIRIT

The courage of bikers taking the start of the in a bivouac. Motul wanted to lend them a hand to world's most gruelling off-road rally without any as- help overcome fatigue, fight off discouragement or sistance commands respect. But they know that, solve an apparently intractable problem! once more this year, Motul hasn't forgotten them. So, every night a space is specially laid out for them The Malle-Motos operation has been rebaptised where they can work and rest. Motul can also pro- 'Original by Motul', as if to underscore the pionee- vide them with basic comforts, a shelter for their ring spirit of the first Dakars which they passionately bike, tent, motorcycle lift, regulatory environmental embody. mat, travel bag, essential toiletries and Wi-Fi ideal These contenders must themselves deal with the to stay in touch with loved ones. Without forgetting maintenance of their bike and, idem, if they break the Motul 'trunk truck' delivering them at the arrival down they have to fend for themselves … even if of each stage their belongings and tools, in other mutual aid are not empty words on the tracks or words the essential and indispensable…

SEVEN CONTINENTS DAKAR

The Dakar Rally magic has existed in South How could things be otherwise in an event with America since 2009 but it also persists far beyond 5,000 km of specials and 4,000 of liaison routes, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, via the press, radio, te- 14 stages, including seven composed 100% of levision and social media. Motul decided to launch dunes or off-road sections and five days at over this year the Epic Story by Motul to share this epic 3,000 metres altitude? Even the rest day in La Paz, event with a maximum number of web users. capital of Bolivia, is likely to be tiring as it's the wor- This series of videos will focus on the bravery, ld's highest at 3,600 m. resourcefulness and fraternal spirit which the The aim of the films of the Epic Story by Motul se- contenders must sometimes show. The Dakar in- ries will be to highlight the human values Motul deed gives rise to a wide variety of situations likely shares with the rally and its participants, in full inte- to present the participants with the horrors of a raction with over two million Dakar fans worldwide! breakdown, capricious weather, gruelling condi- The fans will also be asked to vote on the official tions, the failings of the human body … or quite pages of the Dakar on social media for the … most simply place them face to face with themselves. epic of the stories!

LUBRICANTS SCREENED

Racing Lab IIt's probably one of the most innovative free The analysis can seek for instance the presence of services ever offered to contenders by a Dakar metallic elements in the oil in order to detect pre- partner. Motul will be present throughout the rally mature or accelerated engine wear. Certain parts with a squad of two or three specialists speaking can then be changed preventively to limit the risk six languages in all, as well as a truck carrying an oil of terminal breakage and retirement. An engine analyser machine and spare parts. Thanks to this may also suffer or be less effective in the event of advanced technology 'mobile lab' all the conten- leakage of coolant or fuel dilution. ders can get their engine oil analysed, thus antici- We'll also probably see some photographers pating maintenance operations … for the greatest and journalists near the Motul truck as its com- benefit of the reliability of mechanical parts put to pressed-air blower can save the day by eliminating the severest of uses during such an event. sand and dust from their equipment!

MOTUL'S PARTNERS WELL PLACED IN PERU

During the first three days of the 40th Dakar, the the moment he must content himself with 11th place. Peruvian dunes didn't spare mechanical parts or One year after having had to renounce participa- human parts! But Motul's main technical partners ting in the Dakar at the last minute owing to injury, are well placed in their respective standings. Kevin Benavides took advantage of the third stage Team HRC aligned at the start a fine set of re- to push forward to 2nd absolute place, 4’38 off the nowned champions. But, even before the start, leader. 'It wasn't easy in the dunes, the bike was the team managed by Raul Castells had to regis- constantly getting stuck in the sand', commented ter Paulo Gonçalves' retirement as he hadn't suf- the Argentinian. Ricky Brabec gave for his part a ficiently recovered from injuries suffered a few steady performance in 5th place. weeks before in training. Despite a difficult moment 30 km from the arrival In contrast, Joan Barreda is in superb shape despite of stage three, the Toyota Auto Body of the duo disturbed tuning. A second triumphal stage pro- Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin came 28th pelled him to the summit but he lost his way the fol- and in the lead of group T2. lowing day (Monday 8 January) losing 27 minutes. Mi- In SSV, Patrice Garrouste and Steven Griener are chael Metge also shone in stage 2 but his GPS let him the best placed of the XTREMEPLUS Polaris Facto- down between Pisco and San Juan de Marcona. For ry Team armada, in 2nd place of the category.

FOLLOW US ON motul.com Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Phil Hanson United Autosports ROAR BEFORE THE ROLEX 24 Ligier JS P217 DAYTONA

UNITED AUTOSPORTS WITH MOTUL AND A F1 WORLD CHAMPION

Motul has added a new prominent cham- convince yourself of that. Double F1 World championship to its major partnerships in 2018: the in- pion Fernando Alonso will be driving his maiden ternational high performance lubricants specia- races in prototype category at the wheel of Ligier list has become the Official Lubricant and Motor #23. Alongside him, we find his 'colleague', test dri- Oil Partner of the prestigious IMSA WeatherTech ver and reserve driver at McLaren, Lando Norris, Sportscar Championship. who is also 2017 FIA F3 European champion. With This agreement was inaugurated from 5 to 7 Ja- his experience of the discipline illustrated by his nuary at the Roar before the 24, the long weekend LMP3 champion title in the Asian Le Mans Series, of preparatory tests for the Daytona 24 Hours. Phil Hanson competes this splendid trio. The line-up Among the twenty contenders of top catego- of #22 is also a mix of endurance specialists and dri- ry Daytona Prototype international, two Ligier JS vers of the past, present and/or future of F1. ELMS P217s entered by United Autosports could be ad- LMP2 vice-champions Will Owen and Hugo de Sa- mired. Partnered technically by Motul, that team deleer will be rubbing shoulders with FIA WEC LMP2 has recruited a set of drivers which gives an idea champion and Motul Ambassador Bruno Senna as of the level of its ambitions! well as F1 Williams test driver Paul di Resta. Jot down Take a quick look at the composition of its crews to 27 January for the start.

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