DUBAI: Ford Performance has announced rally and off-road driver Mattias Ekstrom will join its team for the 2025 Dakar Rally, to be held in Saudi Arabia from Jan. 3-17.

Ekstrom, a two-time DTM champion, World Rallycross champion, and experienced rally raid competitor, will join Mitch Guthrie Jr., Nani Roma, and Carlos Sainz Sr. in piloting the Ford Raptor T1+ in one of the world’s most demanding motorsport events. 

“Joining the Ford Dakar program is really exciting for me,” said Ekstrom. “Ford and [engineering partners] M-Sport have built a vehicle that looks, sounds and drives awesome, and we all have a common ambition to win the Dakar Rally. I have had four tries at Dakar so far and now I can say that I have some experience in being able to aim for the top. 

“There is also a lot of knowledge and experience in the team to back up the ambition — starting with the long motorsport heritage of Ford, proven track record of M-Sport, very impressive driver line-up, smart engineers, technicians and the rest of the team.”

He added: “I look forward to the first competitive outing with the Ford Raptor T1+ at Rally du Maroc and later at the Dakar Rally. I am in it to win it, and I hope we will have very successful and great years ahead of us. I will do everything in my power to make it happen." 

Ford Performance has previously shown its off-road capabilities in rally raid racing and global competition via entries and victories in the Baja 1000 and Tatts-Finke Desert Race, among others. The addition of Ekstrom completes a strong driver lineup for the challenge of Dakar.

It is hoped Ekstrom’s diverse background, which spans rally, circuit racing and off-road competition, will be a real boost to the team.

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, said: “Bringing Mattias Ekstrom into the Ford Performance family is a big step forward for our Dakar program. Mattias brings a wealth of experience in rally and off-road racing, and his skills add to a formidable team in the Ford Raptor T1+. The Dakar Rally is a test like no other, but we’re confident in our lineup.” 

Meanwhile Matthew Wilson, M-Sport test and development driver, said: “We have followed Mattias’ career for a long time, from his DTM days to the FIA World Rallycross, and now the Dakar Rally.

“He has shown fantastic speed and ability in all forms of motorsport and his performances in off-road racing have been no different. We are really looking forward to working with him and his co-driver Emil, who both will bring with them a vast array of experience.” 

ABU DHABI: Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Qemzi says he is under no pressure to push for a big result when he returns to action in the 2024 UIM F1H2O World Championship at the Grand Prix of Zhengzhou in China at the weekend.

The five-time UIM F2 world champion has moved to F1 to join forces again with his cousin, veteran Emirati driver Thani Al-Qemzi, following the mutual decision by Team Abu Dhabi and Alberto Comparato to part company.

“Like everyone else in the team, I wish Alberto great success in the future, and we all know that we’re going to see a lot more from him in the years ahead,” said Rashed, who moved into the record books by clinching his latest F2 triumph last month.

“Now I have another good opportunity to show what I can do in the F1H2O World Championship and help the team, and I’m happy to be racing with Thani again.

“As always, I’ll be giving everything I’ve got, and I want to get the best result possible. But there’s no extra pressure from the team, and obviously it’s going to be tough.

“The standard is so high in this championship. There are so many great drivers pushing for the win, and for the podium.”

While dominating the F2 championship in recent times with five titles in eight years, Al-Qemzi has regularly stepped up to Team Abu Dhabi’s F1H2O lineup when needed.

His 10 appearances in the F1H2O championships to date include a seventh-place finish in Zhengzhou last season when he stood in for Thani and held fourth spot for half of the Grand Prix.

He was also part of the Team Abu Dhabi trio who won the 2021 UIM World Endurance Championships, sharing the driving with Mansoor Al-Mansoori and Thani, who makes his 157th career Grand Prix start in Zhengzhou.

The two-time championship runner-up is eager to climb from his current ninth place in the standings, and wants to add to his career record of 10 Grand Prix victories and 45 podium finishes.

He knows he must be at his best in Zhengzhou to challenge Sharjah Team’s championship leader, Rusty Wyatt, and his two closest title rivals, Victory Team’s Erik Stark and defending champion Jonas Andersson.

Having recorded his second Grand Prix victory of the season in last weekend’s storm-lashed Grand Prix of Shanghai, Canadian rookie Wyatt could make it a remarkable title-winning debut season with another success on Saturday.

Much will depend, however, on the outcome of Friday morning qualifying and the two points-scoring sprint races to follow in the afternoon.