Simon Marčič has been a mainstay at the Dakar Rally for over a decade, albeit without much in the way of manufacturer support. That will change from 2026 onward as he and Kove Moto’s Slovenian division signed a deal on Thursday that turns him into an official “ambassador, dealer, and service provider” for the brand.

Of course, this also means he can race the Kove 450 Rally or its variants like the EX at Dakar.

“True bless. After 11 Dakar rallies with no support of any rally manufactorer [sic],” wrote Marčič. “I can’t describe the feeling to have such a support.”

Marčič is coming off finishing 15th in Malle Moto at the 2025 Dakar Rally (78th in Rally2 and 88th for all bikes), having been set back by crashes. He entered the race on a Husqvarna 450 Rally Replica, switching from KTM.

Competing in Malle Moto, officially known as Original by Motul, means he is not allowed to receive assistance from crews and must work on his bike himself. Still, having factory support means he can receive access to OEM resources. For example, Ottavio Missoni Jr. and Cesare Zacchetti raced the 2025 Dakar in the class as factory riders for Kove Italia.

His best career Dakar finish is a 36th in 2021, where he also finished fifth in ObM. He has been racing Dakar since 2014.

Featured image credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI