Experience… Etienne Smulevici and Jean-Jacques Martinez on the Buggy SMG, 2 wheel-drive
Some drivers need no introduction and considering the extent of his experience, Etienne Smulevici is one of them. He has taken part in a total of 70 rally raid events and has the absolute record for Dakar Rally finishes; in 25 Dakar rallies, this man from Calvados has finished 19 times. After 25 seasons in a four wheel drive Etienne recently started a “new career” in a two wheel-drive with an SMG buggy. By finishing 9th in the 2008 Transoriental with a podium position in the two wheel-drive category, this new career on a significantly different vehicle seems to be off to a great start.

“I'm going to Morocco for the course most of all. When you compete, the result is always the objective but I always try and stay humble. That's why, knowing Morocco as I do, I am going to be very humble. I'm going to Morocco to have fun but also to practise with my new navigator Jean Jacques Martinez who will co-pilot with me in the next Dakar Rally. Morocco will be our first event together. I have never taken part in the Shamrock and I have never raced on this kind of course so I'm looking forward to it. We don't need to work like mad preparing our car because it is almost ready for South America. We didn't run into any problems on the Transoriental. In Morocco, we'll mainly be fine-tuning the driving comfort and the co-piloting, keeping in mind our objective of doing well at the finish…”

Dates to remember:
AMV Shamrock – Morocco Rally, 21st to 27th September 2008
4th September: registration closes
21st September: administrative and technical checks (in El-Aaiun – Morocco)
22nd to 27th September: 6 stages of the event
27th September: prize-giving evening

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