LOPRAIS Karel

foto - 13x18 cm,

Karel Loprais, born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, on March 4, 1949

He started to work in Tatra Kopřivnice in 1967 as a factory worker, later became test driver. He competed with Tatra 815 truck on Dakar Rally for first time in 1986. He competed 17 times and claimed six titles (1988, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001), five second places and one third place. After his second victory in 1994, some media started to call him Monsieur Dakar.