Martin Koloc will make his Dakar Rally debut in 2026, racing alongside his daughter Aliyyah in her fourth start. He will pilot a non-turbo Red-Lined REVO+ while Aliyyah’s REVO+ is turbocharged.

“As a father, it is very special to drive alongside Aliyyah. We are teammates with the same goal,” said Martin. “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.”

The older Koloc is the owner of Buggyra ZM Racing. While well versed in leading the team from the sidelines, he started rally raiding in 2024—reviving his driving days after two decades away—so that the REVO could continue development while Aliyyah was recovering from surgery. He raced the Hungarian Baja followed by the Rallye du Maroc in 2024, then joined Aliyyah at the 2025 RdM.

In both Moroccan rallies, the Kolocs were Open entries rather than FIA since they used the races to test their REVOs. At the 2025 edition in October, Martin finished second overall in Open.

“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 added. “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.

“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.”

“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.”

Aliyyah finished 34th in Ultimate at this year’s Dakar. After missing most of the spring rally slate to injury sustained at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, she made her Taklimakan Rally debut over the summer.

“Of course I am nervous knowing my father will do the Dakar, but I know he can do it,” Aliyyah offered. “After three Dakars as a driver, I have more experience than my dad, 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.

“The Dakar is extreme in every way. Intense emotions, huge pressure, and a tough environment. 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.”

Martin will have Mirko Brun as navigator while Marcin Pasek joins Aliyyah’s side.

Featured image credit: Buggyra ZM Racing