Rainbow Truck Team Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with Africa Eco Race Debut, Ditching Dakar Rally 2024
In a bold move, the Rainbow Truck Team has announced that it will forgo the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia and instead participate in the Africa Eco Race (AER) to commemorate its 10-year anniversary. This decision marks a significant shift in the team’s strategy, as they opt for the ‘real’ Dakar rally experience in Africa.
At the 2024 Dakar Rally in January, Gerrit Zuurmond finished 15th in the Truck category, driving a MAN TGA alongside co-driver Tjeerd van Ballegooy and mechanic Klaas Kwakkel. The team also fielded a hydrogen-powered Volkswagen Amarok in Mission 1000, with Zuurmond’s brother Dick and Simon Koetsier finishing seventh despite setbacks.
“Friend and foe alike will agree that Africa is the cradle of off-road rally. This was where Thierry Sabine started an unprecedented adventure under the name ‘Paris–Dakar’ in 1979, where the Africa Eco Race has been taking place for years.”
To prepare for the AER, the Rainbow Truck Team will participate in the Rallye du Maroc in October, a World Rally-Raid Championship event that takes place in Morocco, one of the AER’s host countries. Zuurmond finished second in the Truck category at the 2023 edition, making them a strong contender for the upcoming event.
Joining the Africa Eco Race
Founded in 2014, the Rainbow Truck Team will join a handful of Dutch truck outfits, including Rally Team Dust Warriors and Truck Team Müller, at the AER. The latter made their desert rally debut at the Moroccan Carta Rallye in March. The 2025 Africa Eco Race is scheduled to take place from December 28, 2024, to January 12, 2025, with Tomáš Tomeček, a Dakar Rally alumnus, winning the 2024 edition for trucks.
The team’s decision to switch to the Africa Eco Race highlights their commitment to the true spirit of off-road rallying and their desire to experience the authentic Dakar rally in Africa. With their rich history and experience, the Rainbow Truck Team is poised to make a strong impression at the AER, and their 10-year anniversary celebration is shaping up to be an unforgettable one.
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