Home page | Updates | Eurol news, products, racing & events | Eurol motorcycle, car and truck teams ready for Dakar 2026

December 10, 2025

Eurol motorcycle, car and truck teams ready for Dakar 2026

From 2 to 16 January 2026, the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally will take place in Saudi Arabia. With twelve stages and more than 5,000 kilometres through rocky valleys, immense dunes and technical stone sections, the rally once again forms the ultimate test for man and machine. This year, Eurol supports teams in three disciplines: one motorcycle, four Toyota Hilux cars and four trucks. After the strong performances in 2025, our drivers are ready to compete in no fewer than three classifications in the world’s toughest rally.

SVR Toyota GAZOO Racing

The South African factory team of Toyota GAZOO Racing showed once again in 2025 why it is among the leading teams in Dakar. With multiple strong stage results and an impressive second place in the overall classification, Henk Lategan confirmed his place at the absolute top of the rally-raid world. The other Toyota drivers also performed strongly, with the Toyota Hilux IMT Evo once more proving its reliability.

For Dakar 2026, Henk Lategan has moved to the European branch of Toyota GAZOO Racing. From South Africa, four crews are officially connected to Eurol this year: Guy Botterill with navigator Dennis Murphy, Saood Variawa with navigator Francois Gazet, Joao Ferreira with navigator Filipe Palmeiro, and Juan Cruz Yacopini with navigator Daniel Oliveras. All crews will again compete in the latest Toyota Hilux IMT Evo, in which technical details have been further refined for 2026. The combination of driving experience, consistency and proven speed makes Toyota once again a serious contender for the top of the rankings.

Ian Olthof

For Dutch rider Ian Olthof from Hellendoorn, 2025 was entirely dedicated to preparing for his very first Dakar Rally. He rides Dakar on a Honda CRF 450 RX motorcycle from the HT Rally Raid Team of Henk Hellegers and spent the past year intensively working on navigation skills, dune technique and long-distance training. As the only Dutch rider in the motorcycle field, his debut becomes even more special. His goal is clear: to finish the Dakar Rally and fulfil his ultimate dream.

Eurol Rallysport

Eurol Rallysport experienced a season of highlights in 2025. With the Iveco trucks of MM-Technology, Mitchel van den Brink secured multiple stage victories and finished an impressive second in the overall classification. Recently, Mitchel also became world champion by winning the FIA World Baja Cup 2025 together with navigator Bart van Heun. Father Martin van den Brink also delivered a strong Dakar performance in 2025, with consistent stage results and a sixth place overall.

In 2026, this strong foundation will be further built upon. Mitchel and Martin will again start with two further developed Iveco trucks, with optimised weight distribution, shock absorption and reliability. Mitchel will compete with Jarno van der Pol and navigator Bart van Heun. Martin will start with Richard Mouw and navigator Peter Willemsen. The combination of Mitchel’s speed as a frontrunner and Martin’s years of experience positions Eurol Rallysport once again as one of the teams to watch.

Kuipers-Jongbloed Hybrid Dakar Team

The Kuipers-Jongbloed Hybrid Dakar Team had to cancel its Dakar Rally 2025 participation due to new FIA regulations requiring hybrid trucks to meet the same technical requirements as hybrid cars. This made it impossible to implement the necessary adjustments in time. During other rallies in 2025, the Renault trucks from MKR Technology once again showed their speed, with several stage victories proving their potential.

During the Rallye du Maroc, Kay Huzink and his crew had an accident due to an incomplete mention in the roadbook, hiding an unexpected drop in a dune. In this incident, co-drivers Joël Ebbers and Martin Roessink sustained back injuries, but they are fortunately recovering. As a result, their Dakar ambitions for 2026 had to be abandoned, leading the team to search for replacement crew members. For Gert Huzink, the crew with mechanic Mario Kress and navigator Hugo Kupper remains unchanged.

In the Dakar Rally 2026, both Gert and Kay Huzink will fortunately appear at the start, this time without hybrid propulsion due to FIA regulations. For Kay, this will be his debut. With Gert’s experience and the stage win of Dakar 2024 still fresh in mind, the team enters the rally full of confidence in pursuit of new successes.

Eurol as a partner in extreme conditions

The Dakar Rally demands the maximum from both man and machine. The achievements of the Eurol teams over the past years — with podium finishes, stage wins and titles — illustrate how essential reliable lubrication is under extreme circumstances. In 2026, our teams will once again rely on Eurol Specialty Racing products with SYNGIS Technology, minimising wear and optimising performance. We are ready once again to support our teams on their path to new successes in the world’s toughest rally.

Location settings