Injuries and money – 2 most feared words in Motorsport – unless you are Sara Garcia! Not only has the Spanish Rally rider endured more than her fair share of both worries, Sara has risen to each and every challenge with calm and grounded composure, turning obstacles into opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Definitely the most challenging of circumstances occurred during her debut entry in 2019 Dakar Rally, whereby Sara was forced to abandon the race at Stage 4 due to mechanical failure. Having faced the insurmountable challenge of gaining financial support to tackle The Dakar in Original by Motul class, Sara then endured the profound disappointment of not finishing, only to switch focus on how to race Dakar to a successful conclusion the following year.
Delving a bit deeper, there remains nuggets of gold within the most dire of outcomes. First up: Sara pulled off enormous task of overcoming the fear of racing 12 Stages of Dakar with no assistance – knowing that all bike mechanics, sleep/eat routines would have to be monitored by herself. Second: Sara took on board challenge of gaining required funding to race Dakar, making the ultimate decision to race Original by Motul class, as way of reducing race costs.
Third: Sara knew all too well, that racing within her limits was key to finishing each Stage, minimizing the risk of injury through monitoring speed over the tough terrain of Saudi Arabia desert. Fear of not making improvement in Bike standings was not open for discussion, fulfilling the goal of completing 12 Stages of Dakar was # 1 goal.
From the bitter sweet disappointment of not finishing her first Dakar, Sara gained the most insightful knowledge on what she could endure. Not saying the tenacious rider had conquered all there was to racing Dakar, but most certainly Sara learnt the art of turning misfortune into motivation, which culminated in finishing 2020 Dakar Rally in 86th position followed by halving that result in 2021 to 44th place Overall.
All of which begs the question: does an athlete have to embark on rite of passage to ride the lows and then celebrate the highs that come with racing Motorsport disciplines? Or, does a rider, driver, and racer deliberately put themselves in race situations to test their levels of endurance, perseverance and tenacity to gain professional and personal growth.
For sure, Sara sets her goals, then puts plans of action in place to achieve results while at the same time putting the fear factor of the unknown on the back burner. Having completed her 3rd Dakar Rally earlier this year, finishing 75th in Bike category – this year with full Yamaha Factory support – Sara shares how she has made key decisions on her evolving racing career.
Sara: ‘I think the key is be surrounded by people who encourage you to be better. This motivation is really hard to maintain over all the seasons. I have huge luck (dressed up with a big moustache) beside me; Javi Vega, my boyfriend, is great support for me, because he races with me and gives me all that energy I need to do all the stuff involved in races. Trainings (physical and mental ones), dealing with sponsors, going to events, etc. is such a big job, and with him by my side, it is much easier’.
SC: Known for your courageous spirit and determined mind-set to achieve goals on track, challenges have occurred along the way- either financial, or injuries which need healing, or mechanical problems during racing which can jeopardize results. All these constraints can limit a person’s self-confidence to reach for success on the track – how do you handle such situations not only in your daily life but also when racing?
Sara: ‘wOw… what a question! These are the worst parts of our sport, injuries and money. I think it is really difficult dealing with them, but, for me, experience is the best tool to fight against these two words. I was 20 years old when I had my first surgery; could you imagine how much fear I felt? This January, after Dakar Rally 2022, it was my 5th entrance into the operation room so, I was sure I was in the best hands. All I have to do is remain calm, because I know now I will return to racing harder than before’.
Header photo: Sara Garcia competing in 2022 Dakar Rally Image: @we4dakar
Words: Sharon Cox
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