Meet the competitors – Andreas Vogt

In a series of blog posts we will introduce competitors who shared their experience at Rallye Breslau or other event of RBI Sport in the interview.

1) Who are you? What is your occupation?

My name is Andreas. I am 33 years old and live in Karlsruhe, Germany. My team is ‘Zombiesquirrel racing’. Basically, the team is me and a friend of mine and we are “malle moto”, which means we service our vehicles on our own. There is no crew, just our partners. But they are more or less “mental support”.

2) How did it start with your off-road passion? Since when are you rallying/driving off-road? What is your rally experience?

My off-road passion started in my childhood. It was always more interesting than soccer, formula 1 or other “mainstream” sports, and rally always had this certain magic. Back in 2014 I’ve bought my rig, and step by step I turned into what it is now. I also do some endurance racing and off-roading with my pick up.

3) You already have taken part in Rallye Breslau. When was your first participation? Share with us the first experience.

My first participation at the Breslau was in 2019 in the discovery-class with my wife and my pick up. I was not ready yet taking part with the motorcycle and it was a good opportunity to get a feeling of what rally business means.

4) In which class are you competing in the Breslau? Did you drive in a different class or category or do you remain faithful to one specific class/category?

I drive the Enduro class. It is the class for me, it always was. I love keeping it basic. This is the class for the real heroes, except may be competitors of the extreme class. The Enduro riders are the ones who work most. A car or a truck is driven with hands and feet, and the navigation is done by the co-driver. The Enduro rider is all alone. The solo riders also do all the service on their own, which means the nights can get rather short. And this is, what makes it so challenging. It’s a test of will.

5) Tell us more about your rally vehicle.

I drive a Yamaha xt660z ténéré from 2009. It is Yamaha’s last big single and the last “real” ténéré. since she was presented, I’ve wanted to have it and I’ve wanted to go rally with it. I want to prove she is still capable of competing at a rally and she carries the legacy of its ancestors.

6) What is special about Rallye Breslau? What drives you to participate in this rally? What are in your point of view the main features of this event that makes it different to other rallies?

The Breslau is a good choice to go rally even if you don’t have a big budget. Located in central Europe, it’s quite easy to reach. Also, it has a nice mixture of sand, gravel and forest roads. it’s not just one type of environment.

7) Share something from your rally vehicle preparation for Rallye Breslau, that can be useful to other competitors.

First of all, there is the navigation unit with roadbook-holder, GPS and Tripmeter. Also, there are modifications to get the weight down as good as possible and increase performance. Tires are curtailed. Comfort is important: a good shaped handlebar and handles, a steering damper and a custom seat are must-have. And for next year a beefed-up suspension.