THC Science

Benediktas Vanagas
	Benediktas Vanagas
Personal information
Nationality	Lithuanian
Born	16 March 1977 (age 47); Vilnius, Lithuania
Years active	2007-present
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	86 kg (190 lb)
Spouse	Giedrė Vanagienė
Website	benediktasvanagas.lt
Sport
Country	Lithuania
Sport	Classic rally, Rally raid
Team	Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics

Benediktas Vanagas (born 16 March 1977) is a Lithuanian rally driver. Vanagas is one of the few racing drivers in the Baltic states who has achieved good results competing in various auto racing disciplines, such as rallying, rally raid racing, endurance racing and off-road competitions, though he most often competes as a rally driver. He is a member of the Inbank Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics.^[1] Vanagas still holds the record for the best overall result in a car class in the Baltics as well as for a Lithuanian driver. He is currently teamed with Estonian co-driver Kuldar Sikk.

Achievements[edit]

2009 - Silk Way Rally: 5th place in class, 8th overall.^[2]
2009 - Ladoga Trophy: 2nd place in TR1 class, 3 Stages won.
2010 - Silk Way Rally: 2nd place in class, 7th overall, 1 Stage won.
2010 - Ladoga Trophy: 2nd place in TR1 class, 7 Stages won.
2012 - Rally Sweden: 4th place in N4 class.
2012 - Lithuania rally championship: 3rd place in N4, II overall.
2012 - 1000 kilometers race: 2nd place in qualification.
2013 - Dakar Rally: 65th place overall.
2013 - 1000 kilometers race: 1st place overall.
2014 - Dakar Rally: 35th place overall.
2015 - Dakar Rally: 24th place overall and 1st place among private teams.
2015 - FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas - Italian Baja: 6th place in the 1st group.
2015 - 1000 kilometers race: 6th place overall.
2016 - Dakar Rally: 26th place overall.
2016 - 1000 kilometers race: 1st place overall.
2017 - FIA Baltic Rally Trophy: 1st place overall.
2018 - Dakar Rally: 30th place overall.
2018 - Winter Rally: 1st place overall.
2019 - Dakar Rally: 11th place overall.
2020 - Dakar Rally: 15th place overall.
2021 - Dakar Rally: 12th place overall.
2021 - FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas - Baja Poland: 3rd place overall.
2022 - FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas - Hungarian Baja: 1st place overall.
2024 - Dakar Rally: 8th place overall. (3rd place in Stage 10 - personal best).

Dakar results[edit]

Vanagas has been a consistent performer on the Dakar since making his debut in 2013, reaching the finish line in all but three of his eleven participations.

Year	Class	Starting number	Co-Driver	Vehicle	Position
2013	Car	458	Saulius Jurgelėnas	Oscar O3	65
2014	Car	373	Andrey Rudnitsky	Oscar O3 (aka BlackHawk I)	35
2015	Car	339	Andrey Rudnitsky	Toyota Hilux Overdrive OTB (aka BlackHawk II)	24
2016	Car	333	Sebastian Rozwadowski	Toyota Hilux Overdrive OTB (aka BlackHawk II)	26
2017	Car	326	Sebastian Rozwadowski	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IRS (aka BlackHawk III)	DNF (3/12)
2018	Car	323	Sebastian Rozwadowski	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IRS (aka BlackHawk IV)	30
2019	Car	330	Sebastian Rozwadowski	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IRS (aka BlackHawk V)	11
2020	Car	312	Filipe Palmeiro	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IRS (aka BlackHawk V)	15
2021	Car	320	Filipe Palmeiro	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IMA (aka BlackHawk VI)	12
2022	Car	219	Filipe Palmeiro	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing IMA (aka BlackHawk VI)	DNF (4/12)
2023	Car	214	Kuldar Sikk	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing DKR IMT (aka BlackHawk VII)	DNF (4/14)
2024	Car	223	Kuldar Sikk	Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing DKR IMT (aka BlackHawk VIII)	8