Matias Innocente dreams of racing the Dakar Rally, and will take another step closer to that dream in August when he competes in the Desafío Ruta 40. He will race a Can-Am Renegade in the Quad category.
Innocente has aspired to compete at Dakar since it ran through South America. His father Lucas Innocente took part on a quad from 2015 to 2017, finishing. The elder Innocente has also competed in the Desafío Ruta 40 and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, finishing runner-up in class at the 2014 DR 40.
“Since I was ten years old, I’ve been crazy about it and I’m passionate about it,” said Innocente about the Dakar Rally. “Since 2009, when it came here for the first time, it was an unforgettable experience and when my father raced his first Dakar, I fell in love with it. I realised that it runs in my blood and that I was born for it, and I am willing to go all the way for it.”
The 20-year-old has raced in the Campeonato Argentino de Rally y Navegación (CaNav), Argentina’s main rally raid series, since his teen years.
“For me, the Ruta 40 means the beginning of everything,” he continued. “The Ruta 40 was the first important race that I saw. My father’s second place was the first trophy I was able to hold in my hand, my father’s second place. We no longer have that trophy today because of life, but I would like to be able to give back to my dad that joy of being able to have lifted his first trophy. I was very young and it represents something very important to me.”
Outside of racing, the Corrientes native is an administration student.
The Desafío Ruta 40 begins on 27 August.
