Off-Road Icons Sainz Sr. and Roma take on Dakar 2025 with Ford Performance Raptor Entry

Ford Performance Motorsports is offering a first look at its 2025 Dakar Rally contender, and introducing two storied names as part of its four-driver team for the event. Active testing has begun on the 2025 Ford Raptor as the team seeks successful completion of one of the toughest races in the world.  

As part of that effort, Ford’s Dakar Rally program is enlisting the driving talents of Dakar veterans Carlos Sainz Sr. and Nani Roma. Sainz will seek his fifth Dakar Rally title in his return to Ford, rekindling a relationship forged in the beginning of his nearly forty-year racing career. Roma, a two-time Dakar winner, is extending his partnership with Ford and M-Sport after driving the Ford M-Sport T1+ Ranger at Dakar in 2024.

Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsport, spoke to the way in which Ford’s 2025 Dakar Rally efforts and the enlistment of Sainz and Roma illustrates Ford’s dedication to motorsport and commitment to off-road racing.

“Taking on such an enormous challenge requires the best engineers, designers, team members, navigators and drivers, and in Nani Roma and Carlos Sainz Sr, we have two of the most experienced and successful drivers in Dakar history,” he said. “The Ford Raptor is already showing promising signs in testing and having two of the best drivers in the world with us for the ride gives us confidence for the continued development of the truck.”

The two drivers shared their enthusiasm for Ford Performance’s 2025 Dakar Rally effort, as well. 

“I’m very excited by this new Dakar Rally project, to go back to working with Ford for the fourth time,” said Sainz. “My history with Ford goes all the way back to ‘87, and I think I was Malcolm’s [Wilson, founder of M-Sport] first driver, his first ever factory driver, back in the day, and I’m very proud of that. I’m really excited to be driving the Raptor truck, and to approach this big challenge with a lot of goals. One is to help Ford win the Dakar Rally.”

“It’s a great pleasure to be involved in this huge project, and with an iconic motorsport brand like Ford,” said Roma. “Coupled with a team like M-Sport with its history, and legacy in the sport…I can say it’s been a very exciting few months already. The next Dakar is not far, so now it’s time to work really hard but Alex [Haro, navigator] and I are so happy to be surrounded by super dedicated and talented engineers, mechanics, and the wider team - we get to wake up every day and do what we love with people that have the same passion, it’s the best feeling!”

Stay tuned for more about the 2025 Dakar Rally Program and Ford’s drive to compete at one of the world’s most grueling rally races.