Along with last year's winner Giniel de Villiers, VW are pinning their hopes for success in South America once again on two times World Rally Champion legend Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard led the Dakar last year before crashing out on Stage 12.

Sainz revealed the year-long effect the Dakar has on him and the unique demands of competing in the race. "The Dakar is a very special race and a high point in any rider's career. In the time it takes from the end of one Dakar to the beginning of the next there is always plenty of work to be done.

"The Dakar is close now and that's good because a year can seem a long time when you are waiting for the race to come around again. As the Dakar gets closer you have certain days when you start to feel something special is about to happen."

After leading for two thirds of last year's Dakar as well as having three Rally Argentina wins in his illustrious career, Sainz is full of confidence ahead of leaving Buenos Aires in January.

"It has been a good 2009 with two wins along the way and I feel very well prepared for Dakar. The car is very competitive and very solid, this means that there will be strong competition within the VW team again. The Touareg is a good car and in the time I have been driving it, I have noticed an improvement each year. It is the perfect car to drive for many hours which makes it ideal for the Dakar."

El Matador offered an insight into the gruelling schedules involved in not only getting his Touareg in shape but also his own body.

"In between races you spend a lot of time thinking. Thinking about strategy, about problems that may come up, you remember things about the previous year and try to work these elements into testing. There is plenty of time spent thinking.

"I like to train hard and it is something I have done for a long time as it is part of the job. I have been doing more and more in past three months, anaerobic exercise and weight training. It is important to be as fit as possible ahead of the race."

Being part of a VW team which are the Dakar's current reigning car class champions as well as having a career laden with success Sainz is well aware of the pressure to succeed.

"I will be happy with first place this year. When you win the expectation must be to repeat your achievements and win again. You can feel the expectation from outside and also within the team is to win again.

"Our team has not relaxed this year and have been working hard to return with an even better car. There are some good teams out there such as BMW which will make for a competitive race."

Competing in a sport where everything can be turned on its head in a split second, Sainz reflected on how he treats the impostors of triumph and disaster just the same.

"I've had such a long career that ups and downs and wins and losses are all just part of it. You need to analysis a race afterwards to find out why you did well or badly but you must not dwell on good or bad results. Simply study the race for a little while afterwards and then turn the page as quickly as possible."

Finally Sainz gave his views on heading back to South America for the Dakar after racing so many times before on African soil.

"The Dakar can be held in Africa, South America or other places in the world, Russia or China for example. You need the variety of terrain, some desert and some mountains to maintain the race as a great long endurance challenge.

Last year in South America was great with a huge amount of people coming out to follow the race. The difference for me of having the race there rather than Africa is that the facilities along the way are slightly better in South America."

iPhone users can follow Carlos Sainz in real-time using Volkswagen's free Dakar Rally app.