Miguel Sánchez
Driving a Mercedes G-320 in the class “pre-1986”, Jesús Fuster Pliego and Juan Carlos Ramírez Moure have been the Spaniards with the best classification in the past Dakar Classic Thanks to your third place. In addition, in fifth, sixth and seventh place there have also been Spanish teams. Undoubtedly a reminder of how attached national motorsports is to the iconic test. Having participated recurrently since the eighties even with the official Pegaso team. An adventure that began in 1984 and lasted until 1992, counting nine participations in which there was also the occasional private team with one of these trucks.
In addition, the history of Pegaso in the Dakar is responsible for some of the most interesting – and spectacular – motorsport models in Spain. True giants of the arenas, with which new technologies were tested based on the publicity that was given by participating in this test inaugurated in 1979. Thus, pilots such as the versatile Salvador Cañellas or the famous restorer and collector Carlos del Val they took the controls of models as iconic as the Pegaso 7222.
A series of trucks without too many notable differences compared to the series units. Always commanded to go against the current of what was dictated by Mercedes or DAF. And it is that, as if we were in the twenties, the engineers of these two brands were looking for better performance through increased displacement and horsepower. So things, their trucks delivered more than 500CV, yes. But they were also weighed down by a great weight responsible for causing more than problematic inertia.
In fact, this mad rush forward in the enhancement of Dakar trucks claimed its first victim when Kees van Loewvezjin died in 1989. Co-driver in a DAF Turbo Twin with 1220CV. Who died after being thrown from the cabin to consequence of the way in which the truck faced a dune. One of the toughest pages in the history of the Dakar, which forced substantial changes to be made to the truck regulations, putting a brake on the horsepower installed on them.
PEGASO IN THE DAKAR, THE WINGED HORSE BECOMES LIGHT
Beyond what is woven by the big manufacturers, the truth is that for tactics -or other reasons due to investment- Pegaso opted from the beginning for much more sensible figures. In this sense, the first official participation of the Spanish brand in the Dakar was in 1984 with a very little modified Pegaso 3046. In fact, its power was around 200CV and its reduced weight put it in the category with less than ten tons. Something totally different to the DAF or Mercedes. Although successful. As demonstrated by his eighth place being one of only twelve trucks capable of reaching the finish line in that 1984 Dakar.
Thanks to this interesting premiere, Pegaso was encouraged to return in 1985, this time with a 3046 accompanied by the new 7222. One of the best-known Dakar Pegasos, since it came to the race after its recent victory in the Rallye des Pharaohs. excellent cover letter to which he added his position number twenty in the same general where Patrick Zaniroli's Mitsubishi or Gaston Rahier's BMW were included. In this way, the evolution of Pegaso in the Dakar was more than satisfactory. Swelling the spirits so that in 1986 the most important success of all those harvested throughout the nine competing editions took place.
Aware of its possibilities, that year there were three units with which the official Pegaso team went to the Dakar. In addition, a Belgian team came with another Pegaso on a private basis. At the wheel were Carlos del Val and Salvador Cañellas -the third unit was used as an assistance vehicle-, who had to drive these Pegaso 7222 with built-in turbo to go up to 220CV. Much less than the average given by the competition but still managing to win three of the stages. In addition, Cañellas was first in its class -10 tons- and third overall for trucks. Pegaso's best result on the Dakar. Signed by the same unit that in 1987 was third in its category with Carlos del Val under the characteristic colors of the Camel team.
1987, FROM THE GLORY TO THE FALL
After the success of Salvador Cañellas -a magnificent driver on any mount, be it a Derbi 50 GP, a SEAT 124 Group 4 or a Dakar truck-, Pegaso took 1987 as a year of transition where he only took two units with a ninth place in its category as best feat. Thus, concentrated all its efforts in the factory to present in 1988 a completely new model. In this way the Pegaso 7223 Proto was born with the engine placed on the rear axle. Undoubtedly a revolutionary design for the brand, providing a very balanced weight distribution to improve traction and stability.
In addition, by concentrating less weight on the front, obstacles could be faced more easily. Regarding power, it was left at 225CV for only 8.500 kilos. Characteristics that, on paper, promised good results for Pegaso on the Dakar. However, the lack of more time in the development of the new 7223 resulted in constant breakdowns that prevented the two units from finishing the race. After this disappointment, in 1989 Pegaso presented an improved version capable of reaching 270CV connected to an automatic gearbox. However, the redoubled efforts of the engineers to improve the Pegaso Proto would be useless due to the financial context.
A situation that exploded in 1989. Opening negotiations between the Spanish government and foreign consortiums for the privatization and sale of Pegaso. A tortuous three-year process supervised by the European Commission, in which first DAF together with Mercedes and finally IVECO were the beneficiary companies. Under this unstable context, the ENASA competition team under the Pegaso brand was paralyzed. In fact, the last Pegaso interventions on the Dakar were carried out as assistance vehicles. However, before being buried, the winged horse starred in these deeds on the desert sands. Now, with the Dakar Classic, there is an opportunity to reissue them.
Images: Pegasus / Wheelsage
