Petr Pavel, Czech president and Dakar Rally aficionado, reconnected with Tomáš Vrátný and Fesh Fesh at Prague Castle last week. The team toured the presidential residence-slash-workplace before meeting the president in his office.

It is no secret that Pavel, a lifelong motoring enthusiast, is also a big fan of rally raid. He supported Czech competitors like Karel Loprais over the years and has called the Dakar Rally “not only an extreme race, but also a story of human endurance, teamwork, and determination.”

In January, he took a private trip to Saudi Arabia to follow the Dakar up close. Pavel stayed in the bivouac with everyone, went along the route in a press vehicle, and even dabbled as a photographer alongside the race’s media personnel. His pictures from the race, along with those taken by other Czech photographers he accompanied, were put on display at the Prague National Technical Museum in March as part of a March exhibition titled V poušti s prstem na spoušti (In the Desert with My Finger on the Trigger).

In April, he and his wife Eva Pavlová welcomed all Czech teams that ran the 2025 Dakar to Lány Castle for a reunion event. Fesh Fesh brought their Tatra FF7 to the event, which Pavlová took particular interest in and got to sit inside.

Pavel had christened the Tatra FF7 when it was unveiled at Colours of Ostrava last July. The truck was a radical departure from Fesh Fesh’s Ford Cargo and Tatra Jamal, and finished ninth in Truck at Dakar.

Featured image credit: Fesh Fesh