ANOTHER DAKAR DRIVER FOR FORD
By Paul Gover
Date posted: 24 September 2024
Ford has filled another spot on its all-star Dakar Rally roster with the signing of American off-road ace Mitch Guthrie Jr.
He will start the Dakar alongside veterans Carlos Sainz Snr and Nani Roma driving one of the Ford Raptor T1+ prototypes for Ford Performance and M-Sport.
His appointment leaves one vacant spot in Ford’s planning four-car pursuit of outright victory in the Dakar.
Guthrie is only 27-year-old but the Californian is already an off-road star in the USA and has competed in the Dakar since 2020 in the Challenger Class.
“To now be in the T1+ category, driving for Ford… it’s a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to race against the best of the best,” Guthrie said.
“The future is looking bright and I can’t wait to get some racing in the Raptor under my belt. When we get to the Dakar we’ll see how we stack up against the other cars. Overall, I just want to go out there and win races.”
Guthrie has scored a string of class wins in US off-road racing, with victory in the Baja 1000 and Mint 400 as well as back-to-back King of the Hammers titles.
Guthrie’s co-driver on the Dakar is Kellon Walch, a fellow American who has 10 years of Dakar experience including a stage win while riding in the bike class.
The Dakar Rally will be raced in Saudi Arabia from January 3-17, 2025.
Image: Red Bull Content Pool
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