Nani Roma enlisted with Fortin Nissan for Dakar

At the last minute, the Belgium-based team Overdrive has successfully enlisted
the services of one of cross-country rallying's most prominent drivers for next
January's Dakar. Spain's Nani Roma and his French co-driver Gilles Picard have
chosen to contest the event in a Nissan Navara prepared by the Villers-le- Bouillet based outfit.
The association means that Overdrive will have the pleasure of working with a former winner of the world's most famous rally-raid event: "We are obviously very flattered that the Spanish champion has agreed to put his confidence in us," confirms Fortin. "Our team was founded in September 2006 and here we are today with one of the discipline's best drivers about to compete in the Dakar in a vehicle prepared and run by Overdrive."
There was clearly insufficient time, however, for Roma and Picard to test drive the pick-up.

"We will organise a short run before the departure for Argentina," says Jean-Marc. "In any case, the opening stages generally aren't decisive when it comes to laying the foundations for a top result on an event such as the Dakar. Nani is a professional, just like his co-driver who, in addition to his acclaimed navigational skills, is also a first-rate mechanic.
I believe the Nissan Navara 306 can reasonably target a top-five finish. That, in any case, was our
objective this time last year, before the plan was scuppered when the car sustained a little
too much damage after taking off over a rut. It's now down to Nani and Gilles to finish off
the job we started!"
The vehicle gave a timely display of its competitiveness only recently: "Krzysztof Holowczyc and I contested the Baja Portalegre in a Nissan Navara and wrapped up the 2010 FIA World Cup," observes Jean-Marc. "Our pick-up underwent a thorough service ahead of the Portuguese event and has since been stripped and rebuilt again."
On the stages in Argentina and Chile, Roma and Picard will spearhead a line-up of four
Overdrive-run Nissan Overdrives: "Alfie Cox, who is another former top Dakar biker, is onboard again for the second year running," notes Fortin. "We will also be looking after the cars of Russia's Mirolenko and Chile's Garafulic who will be making his Dakar debut."
Extensive 2011 Dakar reporting and feedback, 2011 Dakar race maps, entries etc. at Puro Dakar Rally