The Dutchman led the category from the start as the race sped through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal over challenging terrain including rocky tracks and soft sand dunes.
The final stage saw the drivers compete in a short circuit around Lake Rose, near Dakar, supported by large crowds as the winners took their places on the podium.
Team captain De Rooy says: “I enjoyed both the beautiful specials and the toughness. That was what it was about in the first place: having fun again. They were long specials but still short days because we had almost no connection. I really look back on it with a very good feeling.”
IVECO has been the official supplier of Team PETRONAS De Rooy IVECO for eight years providing the Africa Eco Race’s winning crew with the vehicles, engines and spare parts. The vehicles are equipped with IVECO Cursor 13 engines – specially engineered by FPT Industrial, CNH Industrial’s powertrain brand – delivering up to 1000 hp.
In South America, the three IVECO Powerstars are fulfilling their potential, finishing in the top 10 in the two stages after the rest day. With just five stages remaining, Argentinian Federico Villagra – in second place overall – has his sights set on victory as he closes on leader Eduard Nikolayev.
In Stage 7, Ton Van Genugten took the lead and never let go, winning the special two minutes ahead of teammate Villagra, with Artur Ardavichus following 18 minutes later in seventh place.
The tough tracks of Stage 8 posed few problems for the IVECO Powerstars despite heavy rain and flooding. All three crossed the finish line of the special in the Top 10.
Van Genugten is currently in sixth position overall with Ardavichus just a couple of spots back in eighth.
