Spanish
The Spanish driver Carlos Sainz (Ford M-Sport), two-time world rally champion, in 1990 and 1992, and four-time Dakar champion (2010, 2018, 2020 and 2024), stated that he is in an "ideal moment to aspire to everything" with his Ford Raptor T1+, just a few days before participating in a new edition of the race in Saudi Arabia.
Sainz, along with his co-driver Lucas Cruz, presented his goals for this 2026 Dakar Rally, which will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 17 and in which he will participate for the eighteenth time, to which he arrives with "more confidence", as he indicated this Thursday during an event in Madrid.
"We arrive at the Dakar 2026 with more confidence, we know the car better and with many kilometers of testing and competition. Technical reliability is basic in the Dakar, but also performance on all types of terrain. I think we are at an ideal moment to aspire to everything," he said.
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Likewise, the Madrid native described this year's edition as "very interesting", with experienced drivers and young people aspiring to the title: "We have worked hard on the weight, the suspensions and the robustness of the whole. We have ahead of us a 2026 edition with a dozen vehicles with real options and a group of drivers, from different generations, very fast, so the uncertainty is clear and that makes the Dakar very interesting". Regarding the technical improvements made to his Ford Raptor T1+, Sainz highlighted the "redistribution" of the car's weight and the evolution in the suspension. "The engineering effort is noticeable with the reduction of 50 kilos of weight, to which previously unexplored elements contribute, such as the plastic windshield, redesign of body parts, and the use of lightweight material. This intense work has allowed us to redistribute the weights, which improves stability and balance. And the suspension has also evolved and also contributes to the weight reduction," he explained. The 2026 Dakar Rally will traverse the dunes of Saudi Arabia for the seventh consecutive time, in an edition of 8,000 kilometers, with two marathon stages and without the 48-hour chrono or 'Empty Quarter', present in previous editions.
