Born to drive

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STANDING on a simple plywood stage watching two-time Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka put a Mitsubishi Triton through its paces at Travillion evokes a mixture of awe, trepidation and nervous anticipation among the growing queue of spectators lining up for the rare opportunity to ride along with one of off-road racing’s most respected figures.

AWE-INSPIRING: Masuoka putting the Mitsubishi Triton through its paces on the custom-built off-road track at Travillion on March 19.

RALLY MASTER: Two-time Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka.

The impressive roar of the engine is a vocal testament to the power of the vehicle, reminding one of a mighty bull in its prime restlessly prowling its pen, daring anyone to challenge its authority.

In its off-road element, the Triton is a powerful beast which only the brave, skilled or perhaps foolish, would dare ride, let alone drive.

There is a peculiar but artistic beauty in the way the four-wheel drive roars and responds to Masuoka’s promptings as he instinctively and successively unleashes and restrains the machine’s might upon the rough quarter kilometre custom-built earthen track.

But Masuoka makes the task appear deceptively easy as he confidently commandeers the Triton through hairpin corners and over the rutted mud track softened by rainfall the previous day, the vehicle’s rear wheels swallowing the uneven terrain and spitting back clods of grass and earth several feet into the air.

Then again, it shouldn’t surprise anyone as he’s had lots of time and practice to get good at what he does.

thesundaypost managed to catch a few minutes with the friendly and energetic off-road maestro during his short lunch break to find out more about how he discovered his passion for driving and the highlights of his career.

Humble beginnings

Masuoka began his off-road racing career when he was 19 but got his first taste of off-road driving behind the steering wheel of his family’s jeep (aptly a Mitsubishi) at the tender age of 10.

“My father’s company was involved in logging,” he said.

“On the mountain, we had to use 4-wheel drives. Driving the Jeep became my hobby as I enjoyed it very much. From there, I started to learn how to drive 4X4s and performed well. It was very good training for my career,” he joked.

Masuoka was attracted to off-road racing because of challenges posed by driving over different terrains and under variable (and oftimes unpredictable) weather conditions.

“You have to think several steps ahead how you are going to handle certain parts of the track and how to solve unexpected problems which come up along the way,” he added.

Unsurprisingly, his favourite terrain is the African desert because of the challenges of driving under very dry conditions and navigating his vehicle safely over the massive sand dunes.

Proudest moment

The years 2002 and 2003 marked the proudest moments of Masuoka’s distinguished career as he became the first Japanese to win the illustrious Dakar Rally championship twice.

He credited this remarkable achievement to years of hard work, sacrifice, preparation, and dedication to his training and to his team.

In 1989, with a bit of savings, he went to France to study mechanics and to learn to speak French.

There, he learnt how to maintain cars and draw out the highest performance possible from the vehicles.

“It was a very important decision which eventually led to my Dakar win,” Masuoka recalled.

At that time, there were two Japanese drivers for Mitsubishi, so initially, Masuoka was only allowed to train with a production model Pajero, which he did for many years familiarising himself with all the intricacies of the vehicle.

His senior colleague drove the prototype vehicle — the model Mitsubishi uses for off-road racing competitions

“At that time, my only thought was to reach my goal, no matter what,” he said.

Only after 10 years was he authorised to drive the Pajero prototype.

But his patience and perseverance was all worth it in the end when he won the Dakar rally for the first time in 2002 upon his fifteenth try.

“As I stood on the podium, all these things flashed through my mind,” he recalled, smiling with pride.

His dedication to his team continues in his present role as corporate production strategist at Mitsubishi where he helps to decide what products and features to include in new models.

His department is involved from beginning to end including quality testing and assurance.

The worst accident

In the hazardous world of off-road racing, drivers never take anything for granted and do all they can to prepare themselves to stay safe.

The high-risks of off-road racing are always present and teams can never let their guard down, even for a second.

However, even the best laid plans can go awry.

In 2006, Masuoka was racing across the deserts of Morocco, seeking his third Dakar Rally victory, and got involved in what he described as “the worst accident of my life.”

In off-road racing, organisers will indicate on road maps used by the teams the level of difficulty associated with various stretches of the track, using “caution” signs – with “three cautions” requiring the drivers to exercise the highest level of precaution.

Their navigation system – critical to measure distances accurately – was broken, meaning Masuoka and his co-driver were virtually driving sightless as they approached a “three caution” area.

“There was a sudden one-metre high drop in the terrain, created by a big water hole,” recalled Masuoka.

“We did not see it until it was too late.”

Their vehicle was travelling about 160km per hour as it soared over a sand dune and crashed into the hole, before being hurtled a distance of 60 metres, overturning three times in the process.

Miraculously, Masuoka and his co-driver emerged relatively unscathed but their vehicle was totally destroyed.

The worst injuries Masuoka has ever experienced occurred when he was just 21 years old during a practice session when his vehicle overturned.

Somehow his seatbelt released on its own, resulting in him breaking his bones in six different places, including his back.

Masuoka was hospitalised for two months, recovering from his serious injuries.

Drivers who participate in competitions such as the Dakar Rally are well aware of the high levels of risk and the high possibility of getting injuries and maybe not making it back home alive.

How does Masuoka’s wife feel about the life-threatening situations he faces regularly in his work?

“We are really bonded in the deepest place, and we really trust each other,” replied Masuoka with a smile.

“She also believes I’ll come back alive. She really believes that.”

Going strong

Masuoka celebrated his 51st birthday on March 13, but you wouldn’t have guessed it from the tremendous amount of positive energy and enthusiasm he radiates.

When asked if his age is a barrier, he modestly replied: “Maybe for now, I will focus on training younger drivers for development.

Maybe I’ll continue for a few more years to teach.”

Masuoka advised aspiring rally drivers, especially those from Asia who want to follow in his footsteps to focus on developing their physical and mental strength, in addition to perfecting their driving techniques.

“During the Dakar Rally, it’s seven hours of driving per day — 700 to 800 km non-stop,” he explained.

“It’s very important to keep concentration during the drive. Inside the vehicle, there’s no air-conditioning, so temperatures can reach about 50 to 60 degrees. To prepare yourself, you must physically train hard. This also helps to build your mental strength.”

He added that incorporating activities such as swimming and cycling — which focus on endurance over an extended period of time — into training can help condition body and mind to cope with the demands of off-road racing.

“Sometimes we also train in low-pressure rooms to help improve our breathing,” he said.

Masuoka also emphasised the importance of knowing the vehicle and adapting one’s driving style and skills to suit the challenges of the terrain and weather conditions.

“In general, the younger you are, the harder you tend to train without thinking ahead,” he said.

“This usually results in breaking the vehicle or its parts. You have to train step-by-step with the longer-term view ahead, making sure you don’t break the vehicle or its parts because once you break it, it’s gone.”

He advised younger drivers to learn to be patient and think two or three years ahead.

All too soon, the brief interview comes to an end as the organisers advised us that Masuoka needed to rest before his next session of driving.

Earlier that day, thesundaypost had the opportunity to ride upfront in the Triton with Masuoka at the wheel.

It’s clear to see he loves what he does and delights in sharing this passion with everyone who’s willing to join him for the ride.

Some people are born to drive.

Without a doubt, Masuoka is doing what he was born to do and he couldn’t be happier about it.