After finishing 71st in Rally2 at his Dakar Rally debut in January, Juan Carlos Torres wants to crank it up a notch by competing solo for 2027. Unfortunately, those plans are now in danger.

Speaking with El Debate, Torres revealed he doesn’t have the sponsorship to take part in the 2027 race and is running out of time to find the necessary funding. The ASO will begin selecting riders on July 17.

“The feasibility of these high-competition projects depend on the commitment of the institutional and business environment, support that currently does not exist for this effort,” Torres told El Debate. “It’s hard to believe the Dakar ends here.”

A firefighter and squad leader in the Consorcio de Bomberos de Toledo, Torres is the second rider from Albacete to race Dakar after Israel Borrell (2013, 2018, 2019). Financial worries nearly kept him from racing in 2026, and he mostly paid for the effort out of pocket.

Despite everything, he was able to complete the race with a 71st in class and 82nd overall. His best outing was a 64th in Rally2 for Stage 11.

“Juancar” hoped to run the 2027 race in Original by Motul, expressing his main goal as being to “represent Albacete in the purest and toughest category in the desert.” However, as he continued, “without the support of companies and local institutions, it is unfeasible to take the start in a race of this level.”

Featured image credit: ASO