RALLY DAKAR 2024

Ford Ranger Raptor T1 will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally for the first time

Ford has already raced and won in different motorsport categories. But he never participated in the iconic Dakar Rally, one of the most difficult off-road competitions in the world. Soon, the test will also be part of this list. The brand confirmed that it will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally with the Ranger Raptor T1, a special version of the pick-up.

The Ranger Raptor T1 was built by Ford Performance together with M-Sport and Neil Wooldridge Motorsport (NWM), its long-time partners, to meet the regulations of the T1 class of the Dakar, which will be held next year in Saudi Arabia, from January 5th to 19th.

The team implemented a series of development phases throughout 2023 and continues to test the Ranger T1, based on the Ranger Raptor - a high-performance version of the pick-up that will also be launched in Brazil this year. The first step of the multi-year competition program is to complete the test and obtain maximum learning.

“Tackling one of the world’s biggest off-road events – the Dakar Rally – has always been a goal of ours,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We cannot underestimate the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead. We need to reach the end and acquire knowledge. But, as in all types of competition, we don’t just enter to win, we also compete to be able to create better products for our customers.”

The Ranger Raptor already participates in other off-road competitions around the world, such as the Finke Desert Race, in Australia. For the 2025 Dakar Rally, Ford Performance and M-Sport are developing an all-new, customized version of the Ranger Raptor T1.

“The Dakar Rally is at the top of off-road competitions on a global level”, says Malcom Wilson, general director of M-Sport. “We have achieved great success with Ford in the FIA World Rally Championships over the years and we look forward to applying the same level of dedication, energy and commitment to racing the Ranger Raptor in the Dakar.”