Team Musashi Japan has created a rider development program called the “Musashi Rally Raid Challenge”, which aims to help bike racers take part in rallies across Asia such as the Asia Cross Country Rally before going on to compete in the W2RC and Dakar Rally. The MRRC was announced on Thursday, and will be directed by Dakar veteran Yoshio Ikemachi.

Ikemachi won the AXCR bike overall in 2025, a year after competing in the Dakar Rally on a motorcycle for the first time since 2000. While 2024 was his first Dakar on two wheels in 24 years, finishing 44th in Rally2, he had last competed in the Dakar proper as a driver in 2010. He was also the driver for the HySE-X2 that placed runner-up in the 2025 Dakar’s Mission 1000.

Given his extensive experience including on two wheels along with his sponsorship by Musashi, it made sense the team would want him as program director.

A statement from Ikemachi reads:

I have personally taken on challenges in international rallies, including the Dakar Rally. Riding through unfamiliar lands and competing against riders from around the world has allowed me to make friends globally. The encounters and lessons I’ve gotten through motorsports continue to be a source of strength in my life today.

I want the next generation of riders to experience the thrill of stepping into the unknown. A challenge that begins on two wheels might become the catalyst for pursuing a career as a professional four-wheeled driver. One of the exciting aspects of motorsports is that as you keep going, paths you never imagined can suddenly open up.

To start, I want you to test your abilities and compete against rivals at the AXCR. Use that experience as a stepping stone to take on other international rallies, aiming for the World Rally-Raid Championship and Dakar Rally.

The Musashi Rally Raid Challenge is a development program intended to support participants in the AXCR and help them compete in the World Championship over the next several years. Through the team’s activities, I will share what I learned from my past experiences and support each individual as they take on the next challenge.

We welcome applications from anyone who wants to test their riding skills on a global stage.

The application process begins on November 15 and runs through February 15, 2027. Registrants must be under 38 years old and have a valid license that lets them compete in domestic rallies like those organized by SSER.

Once closed, six riders will be selected to form two teams of three apiece (or three teams of two). They will be enrolled in a five-year plan that begins with focusing on the 2027 AXCR.

At the AXCR, the best rider of the six will earn 500,000 yen. Second place gets ¥250,000 and third gets ¥200,000, followed by ¥150K, ¥100K, and ¥50K. There will also be ¥100K for the highest finisher in each stage, while everyone else gets ¥80K, ¥60K, ¥40K, and ¥20K (sixth place in a stage won’t get any).

Featured image credit: Jennifer Lindini / ASO