Carlos Tatay targets Dakar 2028: “It’s very close”

“It’s very close”: Carlos Tatay is making no secret of his ambition to start the 2028 Dakar. Less than three years after his serious crash at the Portimao circuit, he says he has already organised the project and believes it is taking shape well. “Dakar 2028 is the goal,” he says. He aims to tackle the event at the wheel of a buggy.

The crash left irreversible damage to his spinal cord. Tatay’s motorcycle had gone down at more than 200 km/h. Despite the ordeal, he has held on to the mindset of a professional athlete that had helped him earn a place in the world motorcycle championship. “I’m starting to like my new life,” he said after getting through the initial trauma. He also says he has always wanted to compete against people without disabilities: “Motorsport is the only place where that’s possible… and where you can win.”

Building up mileage is central to his preparations. Tatay plans to take part in the Rally of Morocco this year and do tests in Spain. “Going without building up kilometres would be suicide. 2028 is the big goal and I think I’ll be there,” he says. Cycling also helps him train and stay fit throughout the year. In Ibiza, where he arrived with an attention-grabbing adapted bicycle, he describes a project that is now well organised. At 23, after the shock of the crash, Tatay has found new paths to keep pursuing his sporting ambitions.