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Ford Raptor to tackle 2024 Dakar Rally

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: June 14, 2023

Ford Performance will continue to unleash the Raptor after announcing that it’s prepping a Race Ranger Raptor T1+ for the 2024 Dakar Rally.

Whilst the Ford Ranger Raptor has been rampantly proving itself and winning categories at some of the worlds toughest rally’s like the Baja 1000 and the Finke Desert Race, the manufacturing giants are now entering upon world’s greatest rally stage: The Dakar Rally.

In collaboration with Ford rally stalwarts M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsports (NWM), Ford will enter a very mean looking, purpose built, race-ready Ford Ranger T1+ at the 2024 event in Saudi Arabia.

Ford has annouced it will unleash the Race Ranger Raptor T1+ on the 2024 Dakar Rally

The T1+ is an extreme racing version of the road and race proven Ranger Raptor, and after the famous blue oval has raced, won, and conquered the worlds biggest events such as Le Mans, Monaco, Daytona, Bathurst, Finke and Ensenada, the T1+ is staring down the barrel at Dakar – the only iconic event Ford hasn’t tackled.

Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsports, says that the challenge is immense, and that there’s no underestimating the enormity of putting the T1+ across the finishing line at Dammam on the Persian Gulf.

Ford just recently entered the Ranger Raptor at the 2023 Finke Desert Race where it claimed P1 in the 4WD Production class

“To lead the charge at one of the ultimate global off-road events – the Dakar Rally – has been a goal of ours,” said Rushbrook. 

“We cannot underestimate the enormity of the challenge ahead of us. We need to finish and learn first with Ranger T1+ and partners like M-Sport and NWM, who bring their expertise to bear. 

“Together, we can do amazing things in the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.” 

Prior to going to Saudi Arabia, the Ford Performance program for its Dakar entry will see it compete at two high profile test races: Spain’s Baja Espana Aragon, and Morocco’s Rally du Maroc, with the latter also being an FIA World Rally Raid Championship round like Dakar.

After conquering every major racing event on the planet, the legendary Dakar Rally remains one of the last unexplored territories for the Ford Performance team

The joint Ford Performance, M-Sport and NWM effort has implemented a series of development phases through 2023 and continues testing with the Ranger T1+ based on the previous generation global Ranger, with a 3.5 L EcoBoost engine.

“Our first time in Dakar will be a learning adventure that will help inform how we compete in the future,” Rushbrook continued. 

“But as with all racing, we’re not just racing to win, we’re also racing to help build better products for our customers.” 

For the 2025 Dakar Rally, Ford Performance and M-Sport are also developing an all-new, custom-built Ranger Raptor designed and built to Dakar’s T1+ class regulations.  

M-Sport’s managing director, Malcolm Wilson, is excited to transfer the British team’s years of WRC success into the Dakar dream.

“The Dakar Rally is truly among the pinnacle of global off-road racing events,” Wilson said.

“We’ve achieved great success over the years with Ford in FIA WRC rally racing and can’t wait to apply this same level of focus, energy and effort, into competing with the Ranger in Dakar.”

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