Orlando Terranova Explained

Orlando Terranova (born 10 November 1979 in Mendoza) is an Argentine rally driver, best known for his participation in the Dakar Rally.

Biography

Terranova began his professional career in 1997 as an enduro rider, taking four national titles and placing third in the Latin America enduro championship in 2001.[1] Two years later, he won the Chilean Rally del Desierto and the production car category of the Argentina-based Por las Pampas Rally, as well as taking silver in the International Six Days Enduro for a second time after his success in 2001.[2]

Terranova retired from his first two attempts at the Dakar Rally in 2005 and 2007, both times aboard a KTM, and when the event resumed in 2009 in South America following the cancellation of the 2008 event, he opted to switch to four wheels. Piloting an X-raid prepared BMW X3 alongside co-driver Alain Guehennec, Terranova once again failed to finish, although he did win that year's Tunisian Rally. He completed the Dakar for the first time the following year, this time alongside Pascal Maimon, finishing ninth overall in a Mitsubishi Racing Lancer.

Returning to X-Raid in 2011, Terranova rolled his X3 out of the rally on the seventh stage, and once again failed to finish in 2012 while competing in a Toyota when his co-driver Andy Grider quit the rally on the fourth day following an argument with Terranova.[3] The same year, he took victory in the Dakar Series-sanctioned Desafio Litoral event, as well as the Desafio Ruta 40, with his new co-driver Paulo Fiuza.

Back in an X-Raid BMW in 2013, Terranova finished the Dakar for the second time, winning the tenth stage en route to fifth place overall, also winning that year's Moroccan Rally. In 2014, he once more finished fifth driving a Mini, albeit with no stage wins.

Dakar Rally results

YearClassVehiclePositionStages won
2005Bike KTMDNF0
2006Did not enter
2007Bike KTMDNF0
2008Event cancelled – replaced by the 2008 Central Europe Rally
2009Car BMWDNF0
2010 Mitsubishi9th0
2011 BMWDNF0
2012 ToyotaDNF0
2013 BMW5th1
2014 Mini5th0
201518th4
201612th0
20176th0
201820th0
2019DNF0
20206th0
2021DNF0
2022 BRX4th1
2023DNF0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Orlando Terranova. 6 January 2015.
  2. Web site: Orlando Terranova. 6 January 2015.
  3. Web site: Orlando Terranova's co-driver Andy Grider quits the Dakar Rally in frustration after argument. 6 January 2015.