Sainz hits out at 100kg weight increase for Audi’s Dakar contender

The ASO has revised the technical regulations for the next year’s Dakar, with the minimum weight of hybrid or electric cars entered in the T1U division increased from 2000kg to 2100kg. No such change has been made to petrol-powered cars that dominate the T1+ category and fight with T1U vehicles for overall wins, with their minimum weight remaining at 2,000kg.

This means that the Audi RS Q e-tron E2 will at least be 100kg heavier than its direct rivals in the German manufacturer’s second outing in Dakar next year, leaving it at a major disadvantage.

It follows a significant weight-saving exercise by Audi since its debut outing in Dakar earlier this year, where its car was over the minimum requirement by at least 200kg due to its incredibly complex powertrain.

Sainz, a three-time winner of the Dakar Rally, says he was surprised by ASO’s decision to bump up the weight for T1U vehicles when in fact it should be helping manufacturers that are willing to take risks with new technologies.

“Last year we had a minimum weight of 2000kg,” said Sainz. “Obviously, we were well over the weight because it was the first attempt of this new technology. 

“This new technology is cool but obviously it’s not easy to make a car two tonnes or 2000 kilos with a battery pack, with three electrical engines we are carrying. Last year we were quite overweight. 

“This year the team has done a fantastic job but we have the surprise of new regulations coming to electric cars. Instead of 2000kg it’s 2100kg, so in any case this year we will be 100kg heavier than our competitors and we are going to have a little bit less power. This is something difficult to understand. 

“I don’t like to create polemics. I don’t like to go too much into detail but I will say it surprised me that the regulations do not help somebody like Audi which has taken the braveness to try to go into these sustainable types of cars. 

“You do that and you find out that the regulations are not in your favour. This is something I’d say that surprised myself.”

Sainz believes the rise in the minimum weight of the Audi will particularly hamper it towards the end of stages, when petrol-powered cars will have little fuel remaining in the tank and hence will be at their lightest.

“We want to think that we will be close [to our competitors],” said Sainz. “We are talking about a five kilowatts…