It starts with the race truck leaving Moscow, via Minsk and on towards the Latvian border. Not only are the team developing a car suitable for WTCC but they have to get it to the race track. Bring on the race truckies!!!
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| Holes in Russian roads |
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| Not even a road !!! |
When they arrived at the Latvian border, there was a 6km queue of trucks in front of them, all waiting their turn to complete the customs and passport control. Now these guys have got to get to the front of the queue somehow. They decide to open up the race truck and take out a small road car which they use for personal transport. They then drive to the checkpoint at the border and explain to the police that they must pass through as quick as possible. The police agree to let them come to the front of the line of trucks, as long as the other truck drivers allow them to do so. I don,t know if Russian truck drivers carry guns in their cabs but I do know that they are some very big guys in Russia and I would not like to start a fight with them.
With the police offering to help them quickly on their way, the truckies now have to negotiate with the other truck drivers to let them pass. They explain their situation, to the driver of the truck in front of them. He agrees that they can go past him. This helpful truck driver then talks on his CB radio and the message gets transmitted, up the 6km line of trucks, and everyone is happy to let the Lada team go to the front of the queue. The police complete their passport checks and they are free to drive into Latvia.
ALL OF THIS, JUST TO GET OUT OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY!!!!
It has taken them 1 day to leave Russia and now they have to drive through Latvia, into Lithuania. This part of the journey takes another day. They can then catch the ferry to Germany. Each time they cross into another country, the passports must be stamped, visas checked and the shipping carnet will be looked at by the customs officials. The ferry to Germany takes another day to complete its journey overseas.
Once they arrived in Germany, they are subjected to yet more customs interrogation before they can continue through Holland, Belgium and on to Magny Coeurs, France for some last minute testing of the car.
This has taken them 1.5 days to complete since getting off the boat.
Testing of the car was completed. Everything packed back up in to the truck and the last part of this huge road trip finally leads them to Portugal. And I am sure that I do not have to tell you that the two,WTCC races are approximately 20 minutes each.
I think that a journey,over 5000km, just to race a car should applauded by anyone who loves motorsport.
Well done Denis, Max and the other unknown driver.
Now that really is From Russia with Love.