Eight thousand kilometres of desert. Endless dunes. Unforgiving terrain. And South Africans are ready to face it all head-on at Dakar 2026.
Johannesburg, South Africa (14 December 2025) – When the engines fire up at the start of the 2026 Dakar Rally, the desert will echo with more than just horsepower. It will carry the ambition of South Africans who have trained, engineered, navigated and dreamed their way to the world’s most punishing motorsport event. Ready to take on 8,000 kilometres of extremes.
The 48th edition of the Dakar Rally gets underway on 3 January 2026 from the Port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, before looping through Saudi Arabia and concluding on 17 January. It is a race defined by endurance, strategy and sheer mental toughness.
And once again, South Africa will be deeply embedded in every layer of this legendary event.
This year’s Dakar follows the conclusion of a demanding six-round South African Rally-Raid Championship, with local drivers, navigators, teams and service crews now turning their focus to the desert. Some race vehicles are already en route, while final preparations are happening at pace, a familiar pre-Dakar frenzy driven by anticipation and belief.
At the front of the South African charge is Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, fielding two locally backed Hilux IMT Evo machines. Newly crowned SA champion Saood Variawa returns for his third Dakar at just 20 years old, once again partnered with experienced French navigator François Cazalet. Alongside him is multiple South African Rally Champion Guy Botterill, making his third Dakar appearance after a strong sixth-place finish in 2024, this time with Spanish navigator Oriol Mena.
They form part of a broader TGRSA contingent that includes international driver pairings, an experienced service and support crew, and Team Principal Shameer Variawa, highlighting the scale of South African involvement beyond the cockpit alone.
Further strengthening the local presence are four-time SARRC champion Henk Lategan and five-time SA title-winning navigator Brett Cummings. Competing with the Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC team in the newly developed DKR GR Hilux built by Glynn Hall for Overdrive Racing, the pair return after finishing an outstanding second overall at the 2025 Dakar. It was a result that confirmed their status among the global elite, and they arrive in 2026 with momentum firmly on their side.
South African engineering will once again be a major talking point.
Midrand-based Century Racing will see no fewer than ten of its vehicles on the start line, with eight CR7s and two CR6s tackling the desert. Among them is local favourite Brian Baragwanath, competing in Dakar for the eighth time, alongside navigator Leonard Cremer in the latest CR7 four-wheel-drive machine. For the local constructor, it is another powerful showing on the world stage.
Red-Lined Motorsport may not have South African competitors in its cars this year, but the Midrand-based outfit will support international entrants, reinforcing just how respected local expertise has become in global rally-raid circles.
Two locally built VW Amaroks from WCT Engineering will also take on the Dakar, with South African navigators playing key roles. Veteran competitor Jürgen Schröder returns to the event alongside Port Edward bike rider Stuart Gregory, while Daniel Schröder teams up with experienced navigator Henry Köhne. WCT Engineering will provide full technical and logistical support to both crews.
South African involvement stretches across categories. Leander Pienaar will navigate for Abdullah Al-Fahad in the SSV class, while Dennis Murphy teams up with American driver Lawrence Janesky in a similar Can-Am Maverick. While both navigators have Dakar experience, it will be a first outing for their respective drivers — a reminder of how South Africans continue to shape new Dakar journeys.
One of the most inspiring stories comes from Stellenbosch driver Puck Klaassen, who returns to Dakar for the third time. After completing the Dakar Classic with her father in 2024, she now takes on the challenge in the GRally Lightweight Prototype, sharing driving duties with Argentine co-driver Augusto Sanz. Earlier this year she partnered with South African bike star Charan Moore, and her continued progression reflects the depth and diversity of local rally talent.
Even beyond the racing itself, South Africa’s footprint will be felt. Long-time SA Rally-Raid Championship commentator Matt Smith steps onto the global stage after being recognised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. In 2026, he will serve as a daily anchor at Dakar, as well as the on-stage presenter and voice of the worldwide television highlights package broadcast each day.
While the absence of Giniel de Villiers, who completed an unmatched 21 consecutive Dakar finishes, will be felt, his legacy lives on in the sheer scale of South African representation now carrying the flag forward.
From the drivers pushing through endless dunes, to the engineers, navigators, crews and voices telling the story to the world, South Africans are once again proving they belong at the very heart of Dakar. It is a reminder that local passion, skill and innovation can stand tall on the toughest stage motorsport has to offer.
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