From 22 to 24 July, Teruel will host the 33rd Baja Aragón, one of the toughest, most hardcore tests on the CERTT (Spanish National All-Terrain Rally Championship) and international calendars, and the most important for the FIA. For the second year in a row, Joan "Jumbo" Lascorz, quadriplegic driver and member of our #BatecRapidTeam, will compete with his co-driver Sergi Brugué.
Last year they came in sixth in buggies and seventh in the overall Trofeo Aragón. If it hadn’t been for a mechanical problem in the prologue that saddled them with a penalty from the beginning and a broken brake pedal in the last stage, they could have taken the podium. Lascorz, aware that each race “is a different story and the outcome depends on many different factors”, says that his goal for this race is “regularity, being careful with our vehicle and trying to hold on to and eke out points however we can.”
Their rankings this year, seventh in the overall and third in buggies, show the positive progression of this quadriplegic driver. It must be noted that Joan is competing with a very high injury, which affects not only his lower but also his upper limbs. This means he has to steer with only one hand because he has to control the gas and brakes with the other. And, although for now Lascorz-Brugué have chosen not to go for the world championships, there’s no doubt that Lascorz has an innate gift for speed and their results show it: a well-deserved third place in the buggies category at Baja Almanzora 2016 and second place at the Rally TT Mar de Olivos, moving up in the overall classifications.
This year Baja Aragón will feature drivers like Carlos Sainz, Nani Roma and Nasser Al Attiyah, so it is expected to be one of the most intense editions in recent years. Although they aren’t participating for the same championship, Joan admits that these drivers being there motivates him to do even better. Nicola Dutto (paraplegic, Italy) will be participating in the motorcycle category after recent restrictions imposed by the Federazione Motociclistica Italiana (FMI) limited him to participating in designated competitions for drivers with disabilities. As a result, he has decided to compete in the upcoming races under the Real Federación Motociclista Española (RFME) to prepare for his next challenge: Dakar 2018.
We're all with you, Joan. Never give up. Fighting spirit! #BatecRapidTeam #17Foundation @17foundation