TAURUS

 Marek Goczal is the driving force of the Goczal family, a squad fighting among the Dakar top contenders for several years now. 2023 has been a memorable edition for them, with Marek finishing 3rd in the SSVs, while his 18-year-old son Eryk won the race and his brother Michal helped them to achieve this double-podium. The 48-year-old driver has been racing since he was a teenager, winning a national title in classic rally and competing in quads, but at the time he couldn’t afford to pursue a career in motorsport. Instead he focused on business and became a successful entrepreneur, with a portfolio that includes Poland’s biggest nightclub (Energy2000) and its biggest theme park (Energylandia). A few years ago, Marek decided to get back into motorsport and began competing in cross-country events with his younger brother Michal. They set up the Energylandia Rally team and eventually worked their way up to a first Dakar participation in 2021. Three years later, and after dominating the SSV category, the team is tackling the Challenger T3 class. It took the Rallye du Maroc as a preparation race, and Marek won it with his highly experienced co-driver and talented navigator Maciej Marton. A taste of what we will see in Saudi Arabia? More than that, the captain of the Goczal family dreams of a 1-2-3.