Since the last, 15th stage, features only a liaison section before Beijing hosts the solemn awards ceremony, the 14th stage was the last to affect placement in the race. Before the final stages, Sergey Vyazovich’s MAZ vehicle was ranked seventh and the one driven by Alexander Vasilevsky was ninth, followed by Alexey Vishnevsky.
MAZ team performs worthily
The 261km-long speed section of the 14th stage was a success for our Belarusian racers. The crew headed by Sergey Vyazovich finished fourth, covering the special section within 4 hours 14 minutes — just 15 minutes behind the winner, Airat Mardeev of Russia. Meanwhile, Alexey Vishnevsky’s MAZ vehicle finished the race in eighth place, spending 4 hours 42 minutes on the track. It was followed by Alexander Vasilevsky’s crew (4 hours 47 minutes).
“The last special section demanded our serious attention, since there were many dunes and sharp stones. However, our crews didn’t have any serious difficulties. Of course, it’s really frustrating that just 9 minutes separated us from fifth place. During the previous stage, we spent the same amount of time on wheel changing. However, this is a race when anything can happen. The Silk Way Rally is a true test, with some stages even more difficult than the Dakar rally. Our Belarusian racers and their vehicles did well,” notes team captain, driver Sergey Vyazovich.
After all the special sections, Sergey Vyazovich’s MAZ occupied sixth position, while that driven by Alexander Vasilevsky finished the race in ninth place, followed by Alexey Vishnevsky’s vehicle.
By Semen Bondarev
