Mattias Ekstrom joins Ford for 2025 Dakar Rally
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Former Audi driver Mattias Ekström has rounded out M-Sport Ford’s four-car 2025 Dakar Rally programme, where he will drive the new Ford Raptor T1+.
Iron Lynx-Proton claimed their maiden LMP2 victory at Mugello ELMS in a dramatic race featuring five Safety Cars and a Red Flag. Ried, Capietto and Cairoli triumphed by 6.5 seconds.
Fausto Mota, usually the co-driver for SSV driver Ricardo Ramilo, will slide into the Challenger car of Rokas Baciuška as his navigator in Morocco while Oriol Vidal continues to recover from his back injury.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, Greg Biffle and Cleetus McFarland have been flying across North Carolina to provide humanitarian aid, with help of companies like Polaris.
In the closest points battle of the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship, Sebastián Guayasamín and Yasir Seaidan will enter the season finale in Morocco separated by just six points.
Amidst increasing Israeli military operations against Hezbollah and the threat of an invasion, Lebanon’s FIA member club Automobile et Touring Club du Liban has suspended all motorsport in the country “until further notice.”
To prepare for the Rallye du Maroc in his pursuit of a World Rally-Raid Championship, Nicolás Cavigliasso threw it down by holding off Gonçalo Guerreiro for the Baja Morocco win in a 1–2 finish for Taurus T3 Max cars.
Four second-generation racing stars will compete at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia. Luca Magnussen, Oscar Wurz, Rocco Coronel, and Eric Gene will aim for gold medals in various categories.
After racing the 2024 Dakar Classic in a Porsche 924, Łukasz Zoll and his twin brother Michał will switch to the main Dakar Rally in 2025, driving a Can-Am Maverick from South Racing.
After a tumultuous 2024 Dakar Classic for their Porsche 924s, P-Rally has opted to replace the 2-litre engine with a 2.5L version without a turbo, among other changes.
MM Technology’s new EVO 4 line will include a third truck, nicknamed “Tony”, piloted by Kees Koolen at the Rallye du Maroc in October.
After finishing 23rd in Challenger at the 2024 Dakar Rally, Jeffrey Otten will not enter the 2025 edition.
Luciano Benavides and Daniel Sanders have respectively moved from Husqvarna and GasGas to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, where they will team up with Kevin Benavides starting at the Rallye du Maroc.
Due to FIA regulations, Rainbow Truck Team had to modify their MAN TGA ahead of Morocco by moving their fuel tank. This triggered quite a chain reaction that culminated in a redesigned rear end.
Guillaume de Mévius and Guerlain Chicherit surprised the rally world when they opted to leave Overdrive Racing for X-raid Team, but with the unveil of the new Mini JCW Rally 3.0i, they think it’ll give them their best chances at winning.
Like many teams, Buggyra ZM Racing will use the Rallye du Maroc as a dress rehearsal for the 2025 Dakar Rally. Martin Šoltys and Karel Poslední will respectievly drive a Tatra Buggyra EVO3 and Tatra Phoenix.
The fledgling Defender Rally Series has picked up its most notable driver to date when Petter Solberg makes his début at the Clare Forestry Rally in October. It will be his first Irish rally since the WRC’s 2007 Rally Ireland.
