Ford Performance has officially unveiled its Raptor T1+, set to take on the 2025 Dakar Rally. “Taking on such a demanding race like Dakar is a daunting task for all of us at Ford Performance, but we have never shirked a challenge,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports.
“To embrace this challenge, we have partnered with the best in the world with M-Sport and Red Bull and I think it shows how seriously we are taking this project. The Ford Raptor T1+ is a stake in the ground for our global off-road vision – we want to take on the best and prove ourselves in the toughest places on earth. The lessons we are learning from Raptor T1+, along with competing with stock trucks in Baja 1000 and Finke Desert Race, will help make Raptor vehicles even better for our customers,” added Rushbrook.
The Raptor features a full spaceframe chassis clad in composite body panels, sporting double wishbone suspension all round, providing 350mm of wheel travel, with a combination of three-way and four-way adjustable, external bypass dampers supplied by Fox. Motive power is provided by a 5.0L V8 engine based around the roadgoing Coyote architecture.
The new Ford Raptor T1+ will be driven by four teams of drivers and navigators, including rally drivers Carlos Sainz Sr. with navigator Lucas Cruz, and Nani Roma with navigator Alex Haro. Additional teams of drivers will be announced later this year.
M-Sport-involvement
“This is the kind of opportunity that comes once in a lifetime – to support Ford Performance as they head to Dakar with this new Ford Raptor T1+ is going to be an incredible adventure,” said Matt Wilson, M-Sport director and Dakar team manager. “We have already completed 10,000km (6,213 miles) of testing in some of the harshest conditions we could find so we feel ready to take on this ultimate challenge starting at Baja Hungary next month.”
The new car will make its competition debut at the start of August, running Baja Hungary, and will also take on Rallye du Maroc in October ahead of the Dakar in January 2025.
