Name: Ayrat Mardeev
Date of Birth: January 1, 1987
Nationality: Russian
Machine: Kamaz 4326
Debut: 2012: Mar del Plata (Argentina) to Lima (Peru)
2012 Dakar Number: #504
The New Year’s Day opening stage will be a special date for anyone involved in the Dakar but it will mean even more to Ayrat Mardeev. On the day of Ayrat’s 25th birthday he will take the controls of a Kamaz Truck at the Dakar Rally for the first time.
Ayrat’s rapid rise within Team Kamaz from mechanic to co-pilot to pilot will now be put to the ultimate test as he attempts to uphold the standards set by seven-time Dakar champion Vladimir Chagin.
Ayrat’s previous Dakar experience comes from sitting alongside his dad IIgizar as the crew’s mechanic. Ayrat is about to find out if he can the handle the pressure that comes with sitting behind the wheel.
Ayrat prepared for his Dakar debut by racing the Silk Way Rally where he improved upon his seventh-place finish in 2010 with a fifth place in the overall rankings. Ayrat’s experience over the sands of Turkmenistan and Kalmykia will be invaluable when it comes to tackling the Dakar.
Ayrat will be joined in the Kamaz cabin by co-pilot and former Dakar winner Aydar Belyaev as well as mechanic Anton Shibalov.
Fast Fact: As a kid Ayrat used to skip school and follow his father to work at the Kamaz factory. An early love of mechanics was born and Ayrat soon took up kart racing. Ayrat won his first national championship when he was 11 years old.
Best quote: “We had some tough navigation challenges during the Silk Way, but we managed to stay on track thanks to my highly experienced navigator Aydar Belyaev. It’s so important not to lose time while searching for the route you have to follow. What I try to do is maintain a steady pace, there’s no need to go crazy with speed. This is a tactic taught to me by Vladimir Chagin, so I’m confident it works!” Ayrat Mardeev
Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
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