Dakar 2022, Julius Seebach: “After the first bars we are very competitive”

Satisfaction at Audi. Carlos Sainz imposes himself in the third stage of the Dakar, bringing the electric prototype of the German brand to triumph. A victory sealed by a double record: 40th personal success achieved in the famous raid for the Spanish driver, born in 1962, and, for the first time in history, an electric car wins a stage in the Dakar. The extraordinary efforts made by the German brand for the realization of the Audi RS Q e-tron project, the electric prototype equipped with a range extender that represents the maximum expression of the avant-garde of technology, are beginning to be repaid, as the famous advertising slogan of the house of four rings. The car boasts three electric motors derived from the Audi e-tron Fe07 Formula E single-seater dedicated to vehicle traction and a 4-cylinder Tfsi thermal engine derived from the DTM, the German Touring Car Championship, and used to recharge the batteries. Audi RS Q e-tron is capable of unleashing a power of 680 hp.

The statements

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Julius Seebach, general manager of Audi sport and head of international sporting activities, told Gazzetta Motori about the great adventure undertaken a year ago to create a prototype with reduced environmental impact to take part in the Dakar in Saudi Arabia, anticipating, in fact, the ambitious the goal set by the rally organizer and the FIA, the international car federation, to reserve participation in the competition, in all categories, only for very low-emission vehicles by 2030. “It is very exciting, we have worked for 12 months to develop the car in record time and seeing it ready to start is fantastic – says the manager from Ingolstadt – we are extremely proud of the team and of all those involved in the project, to see the Audi concept together with the classic cars of the Dakar and being able to notice and compare the differences is a wonderful thing. “

Audi RS Q e-tron – a competitive car

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The general manager of Audi Sport analyzes the competitiveness of the prototype RS Q e-tron: “After the first few bars we are very competitive, the pace is good and so are the times. We had some small problems with the navigation that made us waste precious time, but it doesn’t matter, what was important for us is to see that our concept works, indeed, it proved to be really competitive and, very importantly, the drivers were perfectly at ease in the car “. Finally, Julius Seebach underlines the objectives that Audi has set itself in this edition of the Dakar: “It is our first Dakar, so we still have to collect data and experience. The primary objective remains to reach the end, for now the sensations are very positive”.