“We have a chance!”
As a newcomer on the Dakar last year, Kazakhstan's Artur Ardavichus impressed, finishing in 8th place on the podium in Buenos Aires. Quite a performance for an unknown team that was able to prove their professionalism and courage to the world of off road rallying. For this new edition of the event, the Astana team shows up with a renewed crew in a modernized Kamaz, hoping to take a prize place at the finish of the race. Artur Ardavichus remains the man behind the steering wheel but will have at his side navigator Alexei Kuzmich and mechanic Nurlan Turlubayev. Team Astana is the first team not only from Kazakhstan, but also throughout Central Asia, participating in this prestigious and popular event.
"We are ready to fight and will do everything to get to the finish with maximum efficiency. The route of the rally this year is shorter, but they say - much harder. We will try to go as fast as possible, but at the same time drive very accurately. Our renewed crew has completely matched up, we understand each other and are ready to compete with teams and drivers in the fight for the podium of the 2012 Dakar. The number of Team Astana fans has steadily increased with each passing day and we just have to be worthy and clinch a respectable result. "
Nos hemos encontrado con dunas verdaderamente bonitas y difíciles. La etapa ha ido bien: hemos avanzado a buena velocidad y el camión ha respondido adecuadamente. Gerard De Rooy es realmente rápido, no sé cómo lo hemos hecho para ir más rápido que él, será que ha tenido algún problema mecánico... Por lo general es más rápido que yo. No sé si soy un buen rival, pero a un kilómetro de la meta ¡me ha adelantado! 
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