Major Red Bull name to start Dakar Rally under an alias

A striking new name will appear on the Dakar Rally entry list when the legendary event gets underway in January 2026 — although not immediately recognisable at first glance.

Listed as Mark Mustermann, the entrant is in fact Mark Mateschitz, majority shareholder of Red Bull and son of the late co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

Mateschitz will compete in the Ultimate car category, driving a Toyota Hilux — a model with an extensive Dakar pedigree and multiple overall victories to its name.

He will be joined by navigator Michael Zajc, with whom he has already built valuable rally raid experience. Earlier this year, the pair contested several Baja events and took part in two rounds of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, giving them first-hand exposure to long-distance navigation, extreme terrain and the endurance demands unique to the discipline.

The Dakar Rally, now staged in Saudi Arabia, remains one of the most demanding events on the global motorsport calendar.

While the Red Bull brand is synonymous with Formula 1, MotoGP and extreme sports, Mateschitz has largely remained out of the spotlight since inheriting his stake in the company following his father’s death in 2022.

His Dakar debut represents a rare instance of the Red Bull heir stepping into a competitive arena himself rather than operating behind the scenes.

Also set to take part in the 2026 Dakar Rally is Mateschitz’s partner, Victoria Swarovski, who will compete under the pseudonym Vic Flip.

Swarovski is an heiress to the Austrian crystal glass manufacturer and has established her own public profile as a television presenter and entrepreneur.

She will contest the Challenger class, a category designed as a stepping stone between the top-tier Ultimate cars and the lighter side-by-side machines. The class has grown rapidly in recent years and is often seen as an ideal proving ground for drivers and co-drivers building experience at rally raid’s highest level.

With both Mateschitz and Swarovski opting to compete under assumed names, attention will firmly be on their performance once the rally gets underway.