Ford Performance has revealed another Raptor teaser ahead of the launch of its 2025 Dakar rally contender, along with the announcement that Carlos Sainz Sr. and Nani Roma will be its drivers.
The first look at the 2025 Dakar Rally Ford Raptor contender is here, with Ford Performance also revealing that two of the four drivers behind the wheel will be Carlos Sainz Sr. and Nani Roma while the full line up is set to be announced at a later date.
Besides that, Ford has released new images of the Raptor rally raid car that it hopes will claim outright victory at the 2025 Dakar Rally, and while we’re still denied a proper look at the final thing, the team has at least confirmed that four-time winner Carlos Sainz Sr will be joined by Nani Roma as part of the four-driver lineup.
Details on the Raptor-branded truck remain scarce for now, but we do know that it’s being built by Ford’s long-time WRC partners M-Sport. Will it use the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6? That’s used in the standard, road-going F-150 Raptor and in the long-serving Raptor T1+, which this car will be replacing.
In the T1+, that engine produced 402bhp and 442lb ft of torque due to the strict regulations imposed by the FIA. But hang on, wouldn’t it be great if Ford deployed the 5.2-litre supercharged V8 from the F-150 Raptor R?
Anyway, one advantage Ford will have over the competition is that it’s managed to draft in rally legend Carlos Sainz, who helped Audi secure its first-ever Dakar success in 2024. Not a terrible transfer window for Ford then, particularly since Sainz will be joined by experienced fellow Spaniard Nani Roma – one of only three people to ever win the Dakar on both two and four wheels.
“I am very excited about this new project for the Dakar Rally,” commented Sainz. “Returning to work with Ford for the fourth time, and returning to M-Sport with Malcolm Wilson, whom I know very well, is really great.”
The relationship between Carlos Sainz and Ford dates back to 1987, when the Madrid native became a two-time Spanish champion (1987-88) with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and made his World Championship debut with the same car, achieving a scratch.
“My history with Ford goes back to ’87; I believe I was Malcolm’s first factory driver, and I am very proud of it,” Sainz stated. “I am excited to drive the Raptor and achieve many goals in this great challenge. One of them is to help Ford win the Dakar Rally.”
Ford had planned to assault the Dakar rally in two stages. A first one with the revised version of the Ranger, which was developed by Nani Roma and piloted by him this year in the 2024 Dakar, as well as by the South African Gareth Woolridge.
The second stage is now being faced with the Ford Raptor, with which the tests have already begun. The American company has revealed the rear part of the vehicle, which will be presented soon.
“The scale of our ambitions in off-road racing is unparalleled in Ford’s recent history, and nothing showcases that ambition more clearly than our challenge to take the Ford Raptor to the legendary Dakar rally,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsport.
“Taking on such a huge challenge requires the best engineers, designers, team members, navigators, and pilots, and with Nani Roma and Carlos Sainz Sr, we have two of the most experienced and successful drivers in the history of the Dakar.”
