Every race tells a story. At Ford, our story in rally raid has been one of building, learning, and pushing ourselves further with every stage.

Rallye du Maroc is the next chapter — to be written October 10-17 in the Sahara — and it stands as a defining moment for our team. It is where preparation meets reality, where the lessons of past races are tested against the desert.

For me, it stands as the last full measure of readiness before Dakar 2026.

Our drivers — Carlos Sainz Sr., Mattias Ekström, Mitch Guthrie Jr., and Nani Roma — each bring unique strengths to this effort that span championships, continents, and generations.

Carlos and Nani carry wisdom forged over decades of rally raid experience.

Mattias brings versatility and relentless focus.

Mitch adds the hunger and pace of a new generation.

Together, they embody the collective spirit and shared determination of Ford Racing. Watching them test, prepare, and compete reminds me that rally raid demands total commitment, and this team carries that commitment with them into every stage.

The Raptor T1+ we bring to Morocco reflects that commitment.

The bodywork has been redesigned for a cleaner aerodynamic profile, leaner and sharper, and almost 50 kg lighter than its previous iteration.

Gullwing doors replace the original butterfly design, rearview cameras replace mirrors, a polycarbonate laminate windscreen replaces glass, improving sightlines through clouds of dust. Every change tells the story of lessons learned and translated directly into design.

Earlier this year at Dakar, Mattias placed the Ford Raptor T1+ on the podium, and we celebrated two stage victories as a team.

The 2025 W2RC season has shown signals of progress, reminders of what we can achieve when people and machine align. Each adjustment and refinement carries the knowledge of over a year of competition and hard lessons.

Morocco now gives us the arena to refine those lessons and prepare for Dakar with full conviction.

Racing has always defined Ford. It drives innovation, strengthens our teams, and keeps us honest in the way we build vehicles. Off-road racing reflects qualities that sit at the heart of our brand: toughness, endurance, and capability.

Dakar stands as the harshest laboratory in the world, and what we test there and next week in Morocco flows directly into the Raptor vehicles our customers rely on every day.

As I look toward Rallye du Maroc, I feel the commitment of everyone involved — engineers, mechanics, drivers, and crew — aligned by a single mission. We push forward with pride in what we have built, belief in what we are capable of, and the final step on the road back to Dakar with the goal of competing for victory.