Ford Performance has today concluded an unforgettable 2025 Dakar Rally with a third-place podium finish in the Ultimate category in its debut year with the Ford Raptor T1+. After over two weeks of grueling racing through some of the harshest terrains on the planet, Team Ford M-Sport delivered unforgettable moments of skill, perseverance, teamwork – and stage victories – in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist claimed third place overall, capping their rally with a decisive Stage 11 victory in the Empty Quarter. The duo set a strong pace before the race even started, securing a P2 finish in the Prologue with just a second separating the leader and a P3 finish in Stage 5. Stage 7 saw Ekström finish second, with Mitch Guthrie Jr. rounding out the podium in third. Guthrie would go on to a very strong result of 5th place showing great maturity and adding to his Dakar experience for the future. With a stage win for Nani Roma as well, the Ford Raptor T1+ has shown that it has what it takes to compete with the best on the global stage.
“We can be very proud as a team that we were able to fight at the front and show good pace and great consistency,” said Matthias Ekström. “The quality of the Ford Raptor T1+ has been so good throughout this incredibly tough race. Now I am looking forward to coming back next year and pushing for the overall win.”
This year’s format was one of the most challenging in the event’s history, as the 48h Chrono and Marathon stages marked the first half of the race, and the Empty Quarter, a no-man’s land of desert and dunes, met competitors in the final stages. It was also marked by incredible feats from Carlos Sainz Sr., Mitch Guthrie Jr., and Nani Roma. Sainz delivered one of the rally’s most epic moments during the 48-hour chrono stage. After an early roll, he and co-driver Lucas Cruz refused to give up, and with crucial assistance from teammate Mitch Guthrie Jr., the legendary driver fought back to finish the stage—an extraordinary demonstration of grit and teamwork, and exemplifying the Built Ford Tough team mantra.
Nani Roma added a commanding comeback win in Stage 10, navigating treacherous dunes to outpace the competition. Roma’s win marked his first stage win (and the first stage win for the Ford M-Sport team) in a decade and underscored the breadth of talent within Team Ford M-Sport and the Raptor T1+’s ability to excel under extreme conditions.
Mitch Guthrie Jr., in his first Dakar Rally in the Ultimate class and one of few Americans competing, ran an impressive, clean – and fast – race with co-driver Kellon Walch, landing fifth overall in the rally.
“The Dakar Rally is unlike any other motorsport challenge, and this year our team rose to the occasion,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance. “Mattias, Carlos, Mitch, Nani, and the entire team proved the capability of Ford Raptor T1+ and the resilience that defines Ford. This was a rally to remember, and I’m so proud of our team. We have proven that the Raptor has the speed and durability required to compete in the toughest environments on the planet and we now look forward to the rest of the FIA World Rally Raid Championship.”
The 2025 Dakar Rally also highlighted the cutting-edge engineering behind the Ford Raptor T1+, a vehicle designed to push boundaries and dominate the toughest off-road environments. The Raptor T1+ features advanced FOX shocks only found on the four Ford race vehicles in the Dakar race, and an unmistakable Coyote-based 5.0 V8 that roared through the desert over the 12 days of competition.
“We have had some real highs and some real lows during this incredible race,” said Matthew Wilson, Team Principal, Team Ford M-Sport. “Losing Carlos so early on in the race and the bitter disappointment for Nani with his issues, was tough for the team but we rallied around Matthias and Mitch and ultimately delivered a podium and two cars in the top five which, in our first full outing with the Ford Raptor T1+, is a great start to the whole program. It’s been a hell of an experience – the team has been incredible over the last three weeks but now we focus on the rest of the Rally Raid season ahead with renewed enthusiasm and confidence.”
As Ford Performance celebrates this podium finish, the team looks forward to the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, where you can expect to see – and hear – the T1+ during the 2025 season.
