If the future of Carlos Sainz Junior in F1 is still under discussion, that of his father in rally raid is now known. On the market after the end of the Audi program, on the evening of his victory in the Dakar last January, Carlos Sainz (62 years old) will wear the colors of Ford on the next edition of the greatest rally-raid. The team will have a strong Spanish accent, as Nani Roma will also be there, while the identities of the other two drivers will be revealed later in the year. Already winner of the Dakar with Volkswagen (2010), Peugeot (2018), Mini (2020) and Audi (2024), Sainz will therefore set out to achieve a fifth success in the event, with as many different brands.
“I am very excited by this new project, happy to work again with Ford and to find M-Sport (which manages Ford’s Dakar and WRC program) and Malcom (Wilson, boss of the English structure) whom I know very well . It’s really great to be back, Sainz appreciates. My history with Ford goes back to 1987 and I think I was Malcolm’s first driver, his very first factory driver, back then, and I’m very proud of that. I am very excited to ride the Raptor and approach this big challenge with many goals. One of them is to help Ford win the Dakar. »
Sainz, crowned twice with Toyota, actually started in the World Rally Championship at the wheel of a Sierra Cosworth in 1987 and 1988, before returning to the official structure in 1997 and 1998 (Escort WRC), then from 2000 to 2002 (Focus WRC), for a total of five victories.
“Carlos is a legend of our sport and one of the most successful drivers in all formats of off-road racing,” salutes Matthew Wilson, son of the creator of M-Sport and head of the Dakar program. His decision to return to Ford and M-Sport after so many years is a huge encouragement to the team and it’s great to have him back within the big Ford family, ready to take on the enormous challenge that the Dakar represents. . Testing is already well underway and we now have a great chance to learn from the best and push the development of the Ford Raptor even further.”
A Raptor, developed until then by Nani Roma, who joined M-Sport at the end of 2023 and which should start competing at the end of the year, probably at the Morocco Rally, before tackling the Dakar. By then, Carlos Sainz Junior will have found a seat in F1. Maybe at Audi.
