Rokas Baciuska

Rokas Baciuška is a racing name you may not be familiar with today, but we can assure you he’ll be a household name very soon. Based in Lithuania, Rokas just claimed the championship title at the 2022 Andalucía Rally, a first for not only him but also his home country. He’s the youngest Lithuanian to participate in the Dakar, and with a third-place finish in the T4 category in 2022, he has his eyes set on the top spot at the 2023 Rally!

We know you’ve been racing for a while; tell us a little bit about your racing story.

Rokas: My early career began by competing in kart racing. The success there, and the fact that I won a national title, inspired me to pursue a motorsport career further. Since then, I have competed in several auto sport branches, including rally, rallycross and rally raid.

My most notable auto-sports achievements include winning the 2018 FIA European Rallycross Championship on the first attempt. Being nominated as a best racing driver in Lithuania twice, and taking third place in the 2022 Dakar Rally, it’s been a really exciting time for me. I am the youngest Lithuanian to participate in the Dakar rally and I was even nominated as best rookie. Leading positions throughout the 2022 Rallye du Maroc resulted in first place, followed by success in the 2022 Andalucía Rally, where I stood on a podium after winning first place in the T4 category. At the moment, I hold the World Champion title for now, which is really great!

As you mentioned, you placed third in the T4 class. What have you learned since the last Dakar, and what are you going to do differently or the same going into the 2023 Rally?

Rokas: In the first year, I got to know the Dakar, got used to the discipline of the most difficult race in the world, and, you know, after digesting everything, I think I wouldn’t change a thing. I would drive the same way, guided by a cold mind. I am ready to do my best and, of course, enjoy the hardest competition ever once again.

Well, I am a simple and sincere guy who loves auto sports. Professionally speaking, I’m a rally driver.   

                                                                                                Rokas Baciuska

Seeing as last year was your first Dakar Rally, what was the experience like? What did you learn from that?

Rokas: The most memorable images are the ones you won’t see anywhere else but in Dakar. The roads we drove were really impressive. The main thing we learned is that it’s not a three-day race, so success is made up of many things. We have 15 days to race, so we need to allocate our strengths accordingly. The most important thing is to be psychologically prepared, to know when to push and when to take it easy.

We know you have some great racing and winning experience. How do you get ready for races and what does that preparation look like?

Rokas: In Lithuania, unfortunately, I can only prepare physically, following a sports and rest regime. We do not have favorable driving conditions here, so there are no opportunities to train in the dunes, so I need to organize myself and practice in Dubai. 

What has been your most memorable race experience, and why was it so memorable?

Rokas: Unequivocally, the most important so far is the race of the last stage of this year’s World Championship in Andalusia, after which I became the champion. This is the first such achievement not only in my career, but also in the entire history of Lithuanian auto sports.

Thank you for taking the time with us today, and all the best at the 2023 Dakar Rally!