At the 2011 Dakar Rally, first-time Chinese racer Zhou Yuande was a dark horse. He not only finished the race successfully but also led for much of the first half, becoming the center of attention. With the 2012 Dakar Rally just around the corner, Zhou is back and has set a new goal — to strive for a top 20 finish and set a new record for Chinese racers at the Dakar.
The Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team from China is currently preparing for the start in Mar del Plata, an Argentine coastal city. Two of the team’s drivers, Zhou Yuande and Liang Xi, gave an exclusive interview to reporters, sharing their preparations and expectations for this year’s Dakar Rally.
Reflecting on last year’s race, Zhou said that competing alone made him feel very isolated. This loneliness wasn’t due to external factors but rather the heavy psychological burden he carried. For every racer, making it to the Dakar isn’t easy and opportunities are rare, so he had many concerns — primarily finishing the race, which affected his overall performance.
Compared to last year, the Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team has improved in all aspects, the most advantageous being the addition of a second driver. Zhou’s new teammate, Liang Xi, is a post-80s racer. Zhou said having a partner makes both of them psychologically more relaxed and allows them to support each other during stages. He noted that having another racer in the team is like an extra layer of assurance, enabling him to push harder in each stage. Whether in terms of time or results, there’s less pressure.
As the youngest Chinese racer, Liang Xi is competing in the Dakar for the first time. The 29-year-old entered the racing scene in 2007 after previously being a soccer player. Liang said he initially got involved in domestic competitions out of personal interest, participating in various types including off-road, circuit, and long-distance races. He met Zhou Yuande during a race and decided to join him at the Dakar, spending a year preparing together.
According to Liang, he is good at handling gravel sections but has less experience on desert terrain. This year, he competed in events in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia mainly to adapt to the racing vehicle and desert conditions, and now feels quite comfortable. Being a first-timer, his main goal is to align with the team’s overall plan and perform to his ability while matching the team’s style. His primary target is to finish the race, with no high expectations for results or major pressure.
Liang and his co-driver Huang Fengge have been partners since this year and, after four domestic races together, have developed excellent teamwork. Liang said Huang, who has been in the racing circle for a long time and is highly experienced, has a great sense for judging desert conditions, which gives him great confidence.
Zhou had an outstanding partnership with his co-driver Du Taiguang last year, but unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Du couldn’t join him at the Dakar this year, which Zhou found regrettable. However, he is confident in this year’s co-driver, Pan Hongyu. Zhou said Pan is one of the top professional co-drivers in China, having worked with Xu Lang and Liu Caodong, and has raced in the APRC (Asia-Pacific Rally Championship) and WRC (World Rally Championship). He takes his role very professionally, and after several domestic races together this year, their chemistry has been good.
Both Zhou and Liang believe that mindset is crucial for the team’s overall performance. The hardware level of the vehicles and the drivers’ technical skills don’t fluctuate much, so during the race, mindset plays a significant role. They say the Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team is a very united squad, with everyone sharing common goals and aspirations — the source of each member’s confidence.
Beyond personnel, the team’s logistical support has also improved. Since it was their first race in 2011, the overall team setup and logistics weren’t comprehensive. Lessons learned from early races this year, along with adjustments and added resources, have strengthened the team’s support system. Additionally, the two race vehicles are top-notch. Zhou said Liang is using his car from last year, but it has been completely modified, making it better suited for desert stages with higher stability and reliability. Zhou himself is driving a newly modified gasoline vehicle, which can achieve significantly higher speeds on speed stages. The arrangement and configuration of the two cars are also part of the team’s strategy for this race.
Zhou said his goal for this race is to break into the top 20 — a target he must achieve. Objectively speaking, the opportunities are better this year because the Volkswagen team is not competing, giving other racers more room to shine.
The Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team from China is currently preparing for the start in Mar del Plata, an Argentine coastal city. Two of the team’s drivers, Zhou Yuande and Liang Xi, gave an exclusive interview to reporters, sharing their preparations and expectations for this year’s Dakar Rally.
Reflecting on last year’s race, Zhou said that competing alone made him feel very isolated. This loneliness wasn’t due to external factors but rather the heavy psychological burden he carried. For every racer, making it to the Dakar isn’t easy and opportunities are rare, so he had many concerns — primarily finishing the race, which affected his overall performance.
Compared to last year, the Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team has improved in all aspects, the most advantageous being the addition of a second driver. Zhou’s new teammate, Liang Xi, is a post-80s racer. Zhou said having a partner makes both of them psychologically more relaxed and allows them to support each other during stages. He noted that having another racer in the team is like an extra layer of assurance, enabling him to push harder in each stage. Whether in terms of time or results, there’s less pressure.
As the youngest Chinese racer, Liang Xi is competing in the Dakar for the first time. The 29-year-old entered the racing scene in 2007 after previously being a soccer player. Liang said he initially got involved in domestic competitions out of personal interest, participating in various types including off-road, circuit, and long-distance races. He met Zhou Yuande during a race and decided to join him at the Dakar, spending a year preparing together.
According to Liang, he is good at handling gravel sections but has less experience on desert terrain. This year, he competed in events in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia mainly to adapt to the racing vehicle and desert conditions, and now feels quite comfortable. Being a first-timer, his main goal is to align with the team’s overall plan and perform to his ability while matching the team’s style. His primary target is to finish the race, with no high expectations for results or major pressure.
Liang and his co-driver Huang Fengge have been partners since this year and, after four domestic races together, have developed excellent teamwork. Liang said Huang, who has been in the racing circle for a long time and is highly experienced, has a great sense for judging desert conditions, which gives him great confidence.
Zhou had an outstanding partnership with his co-driver Du Taiguang last year, but unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Du couldn’t join him at the Dakar this year, which Zhou found regrettable. However, he is confident in this year’s co-driver, Pan Hongyu. Zhou said Pan is one of the top professional co-drivers in China, having worked with Xu Lang and Liu Caodong, and has raced in the APRC (Asia-Pacific Rally Championship) and WRC (World Rally Championship). He takes his role very professionally, and after several domestic races together this year, their chemistry has been good.
Both Zhou and Liang believe that mindset is crucial for the team’s overall performance. The hardware level of the vehicles and the drivers’ technical skills don’t fluctuate much, so during the race, mindset plays a significant role. They say the Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank Team is a very united squad, with everyone sharing common goals and aspirations — the source of each member’s confidence.
Beyond personnel, the team’s logistical support has also improved. Since it was their first race in 2011, the overall team setup and logistics weren’t comprehensive. Lessons learned from early races this year, along with adjustments and added resources, have strengthened the team’s support system. Additionally, the two race vehicles are top-notch. Zhou said Liang is using his car from last year, but it has been completely modified, making it better suited for desert stages with higher stability and reliability. Zhou himself is driving a newly modified gasoline vehicle, which can achieve significantly higher speeds on speed stages. The arrangement and configuration of the two cars are also part of the team’s strategy for this race.
Zhou said his goal for this race is to break into the top 20 — a target he must achieve. Objectively speaking, the opportunities are better this year because the Volkswagen team is not competing, giving other racers more room to shine.
