It’s been over a decade since Johan van Staden last raced the Dakar Rally, and he’s keen on going back. Red-Lined Motorsport announced Tuesday that van Staden and his son Sean have acquired a REVO as part of their “international strategy of making a return to the Dakar Rally in the not too distant future.”

Van Staden raced the Dakar Rally in 2013 and 2015, doing the former in a McRae Enduro buggy and the latter in a Red-Lined VK50. He retired from the 2013 race after crashing, then finished 31st in 2015.

While he hasn’t returned to Dakar since, his focus has been on the South African Rally-Raid Championship. After winning the 2010 and 2012 2WD titles, he won the 2025 T1 championship with class victories at the Renault KEC 400, Vaal 400, and Outeniqua 400. The VK50 he used at Dakar was converted into a Renault Duster for the SARRC.

Last May, the van Stadens made their World Rally-Raid Championship debuts at the South African Safari Rally. A rollover on the first stage killed their momentum, but they were able to reach the finish with a 30th in Ultimate.

“Being part of the Red-Lined family brings us the advantage of being part of a South African based international racing organization and we are really looking forward to once again joining Terence and his experienced team,” he explained.

“We are delighted to welcome Johan and Sean van Staden back into the family, not that they were ever that far away,” Red-Lined CEO Terence Marsh quipped. “Not only is Johan a multiple South African champion, but he also brings a huge amount of experience, expertise and energy to the fold. As a team, we are looking forward to working with this dynamic and enthusiastic father-and-son team.”

Featured image credit: KEC Racing