“What in Sam Hill is a puma?”
“Uhhh, you mean like the shoe company?”
“No, like a puma. It’s a big cat. It’s like a lion.”
“You’re making that up.”
– Red vs. Blue

Puma Energy will return to the Dakar Rally for a fifth year in 2026, appearing on the Can-Am Maverick R of Jeremías González Ferioli and the Honda CRF450 of Francisco Arredondo. While Ferioli and Arredondo will still respectively compete as part of Can-Am Factory Team and BAS World KTM Racing Team, they’ll also have the Puma Energy Rally Team banner.

Founded in 1997, Puma Energy is a Swiss oil company with operations in 40 nations. It is especially prominent in Latin America and South America, and is one of the largest gas station brands in Ferioli and Arrendo’s home countries of Argentina and Guatemala.

They first appeared at Dakar in 2022 as the primary sponsor for Juan Manuel Silva and Andrea Lafarjá. Arredondo joined the team in 2023, followed by Óscar Santos Peralta a year later. Puma Energy Rally Team expanded into the Ultimate class in 2025 with Juan Cruz Yacopini, who finished seventh.

Ferioli finished 30th in SSV at the 2025 Dakar, winning two stages but being knocked out of overall contention by a mechanical issue. He later won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and placed second at the Rallye du Maroc.

Arredondo was 61st in Rally2 in this year’s Dakar.

Featured image credit: Puma Energy Rally Team