-- The pair will become the first father-daughter duo to race in the Ultimate (T1+) category, the highest class in rally raid, driving two separate cars. Martin will be at the wheel of a non-turbo Red-Lined Revo T1+, while Aliyyah returns for her fourth Dakar in a turbocharged Red-Lined Revo T1+.
A historic father-daughter entry
The 2026 Dakar will mark the first time Martin and Aliyyah Koloc share the same category on the world’s toughest rally. Their joint story has been growing for a while, most recently when both drove at the recent Rallye du Maroc as part of their Dakar preparation. “As a father, it is very special to drive alongside Aliyyah. We are teammates with the same goal,” Martin Koloc says. “And if something goes wrong, I can reach her quickly and help find a solution right away. In the past, I was in the bivouac, trying to guess what was happening through a satellite phone."
Aliyyah welcomes the new dynamic, even if it comes with emotion. “Of course, I am nervous knowing my father will do the Dakar. But I know he can do it,” she says. “After three Dakars as a driver, I have more experience than my dad,” Aliyyah explains. “So I help him prepare mentally, physically, and with the small things you need in the car. I really like to share this with him.”
Martin Koloc: From team principal to Dakar driver
Martin Koloc, CEO of Buggyra ZM Racing and a two-time European truck racing champion, has spent more than a decade at the Dakar in a management role. After years of testing and developing cars for the team, he now steps into the driver's seat himself. “I was already close to participating in the 2025 Dakar Rally, but I couldn’t find someone to take over my responsibilities in the team,” Martin says. “I’ve done a lot of testing kilometers to support Aliyyah, and somewhere along the way, the idea grew. My kids hear stories about my racing years all the time, so I want them to see it for real.”
For Martin, racing is also a way to lead by example. “I want my kids and the team to see what commitment and dedication to success look like. I still love racing, and I am ready to enjoy this challenge together with them.”
He will start the 2026 Dakar with start number 251, co-driven by Italian navigator Mirko Brun which whom he has already participated in the recent Rallye du Maroc.
Aliyyah Koloc: A young Dakar veteran
At only 21, Aliyyah Koloc has built solid experience across three Dakar rallies. After debuting in the T3 class at age 18, she stepped into a T1+ in 2024 and 2025, driving a non-turbo Red-Lined Revo T1+. In 2024, she completed the grueling two-day Chrono48 stage inside the top 10 of the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, while also being the highest-placed woman in the Ultimate class during Chrono48 in 2025.
"The Dakar is extreme in every way. Intense emotions, huge pressure, and a tough environment," Aliyyah explains. "This will be my fourth Dakar, but I am still learning. My driving is much cleaner now, and with that comes speed. And at this year’s Dakar we had many mechanical issues, so I learned to be resilient, but also how to be a better mechanic!”
Aliyyah will have start number 250, co-driven for the first time by Marcin Pasek, a 29-year-old Polish navigator who has competed in the Dakar before.
A family at the world’s toughest rally
So what will it be like racing with her father and seeing his name in the standings each day? “We are both very competitive, so for sure there will be some friendly competition, and of course I want to be faster than him! But our main goal is to support each other and get to the finish line,” Aliyyah says.
Martin adds: “I don’t have anything to prove. My car is non-turbo charged, hers is, so pure performance isn’t the point. I’m here to support Aliyyah and continue development work. Being able to do this together gives me all the motivation I need.”
The 2026 Dakar begins on January 3 and will run for two weeks through the Saudi Arabian desert. For Martin and Aliyyah Koloc, it will be more than a race. It will be a shared challenge that brings their family story to the world’s biggest stage in cross-country rallying.
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