Tomáš Ouředníček had a pretty insane idea for 2026: with the Dakar Rally and Africa Eco Race no longer running against each other, he thought of doing both races back to back.

Unfortunately, business obligations took away the time needed for Toyota Gazoo Racing Czech to figure out the logistics of the double. Forced to pick one, he’s opted to compete in the Africa Eco Race for a second time.

Dakar and the AER usually clash on the calendar, taking place between late December and early January. In 2026, however, the AER was pushed back to begin on January 24 while Dakar finishes the week prior on January 17. Rather than ship his Hilux from Saudi Arabia to Tangier within seven days, the team would’ve had a second truck ready to go in Morocco waiting for Ouředníček to fly over.

“We’d been working on a slightly crazy project to do both Dakars since the summer,” he commented. “We knew from the start that we would need two cars and that it would be challenging, but also that it was realistic.”

The AER Hilux would’ve been the SVR-prepped Hilux that he raced at the Rallye du Maroc in October. Ouředníček finished 35th in Ultimate at that race due to a steering issue, but hopes to partner with SVR again in the future.

After Morocco, however, Ouředníček and his company MusicData were too busy working on installing the sound system at the Horácká Multifunctional Arena. Located in Jihlava, the arena is a multi-purpose facility that opened in early November with a hockey rink and uniquely a 230-meter running track on the roof.

“I was under enormous pressure at that moment, and we had to cancel the plan,” he explained. “We knew it would be extremely demanding logistically, but the circumstances changed so much that it became unfeasible. We had only a week to make the final decision and sort out everything required, and we simply didn’t have the time.”

While certainly unfortunate to miss out on his tenth Dakar Rally, he’s keen on rebounding after his AER debut was cut short by an engine failure this year. Ouředníček traced the issue to poor fuel quality, and the 95 octane gasoline readily available isn’t suitable for the new five-liter V8 engine in his Hilux. To rectify this, he’s looking for another fuel source like airplanes while the FIA has allowed him to use a larger restrictor that allows for better engine performance.

“We have unfinished business from last year and we will fully concentrate on getting to Dakar and bringing home the best possible result,” Ouředníček proclaimed. “But, we will definitely return to the Dakar Rally. It has to make sense and we have to be sure that we are fully competitive.”

Featured image credit: Antonin Vincent / DPPI / ASO