Racing icon pinpoints crucial factor behind five-star Ford hunt

Four-time Dakar Rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr remains driven by pure passion as he prepares for another tilt at the world's most gruelling motorsport event.

At 63, the Spanish legend shows no signs of slowing down ahead of the start of the latest race on January 3, declaring that enjoyment remains paramount to his continued success.

"Having fun is very important," Sainz told RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview. "At this point in my career, I have to enjoy it. I know that at my age, if you don't have fun in what you do anymore, you won't be here. So I still have fun in what I do."

Sainz claimed his most recent victory in 2024 with Audi, but has now switched allegiances to Ford's factory project for another assault on the Saudi Arabian desert. The two-time World Rally Champion believes Ford's Raptor offers genuine victory potential.

"It's always something special," he explains when discussing the approaching rally. "You prepare yourself, you prepare the car. Together with the team, you prepare for a whole year. And you know: you only get one chance a year."

The meticulous preparation clearly weighs heavily on Sainz's mind as the start date approaches. "When the date gets closer, it's always nice, although those last days seem to go very slowly," he said. "It feels like they are 48-hour days instead of 24 hours. I wish the last days went by a little faster."

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Sainz highlights keys to success

Ford's project shows encouraging signs of progress. Team-mate Mattias Ekström secured a podium finish in 2025, validating the American manufacturer's ambitious desert programme.

"We already had a very solid car last year, we shouldn't forget that," Sainz noted. "In our first year, we managed to get a podium finish with Mattias with a completely new car. That means the car was already at a very good level last year."

With development having continued apace, he added: "We worked on the areas for improvement this year: reducing the weight to the minimum, lowering the centre of gravity, a slightly better weight distribution and, of course, further improving and continuing to test the suspension."

Sainz's experience across four different manufacturers provides unique insight into what makes a winning Dakar machine. His philosophy centres on versatility and driver comfort during marathon stages.

"I like a car that obviously has to function in all types of conditions," he explained. "A car that has to behave well on gravel tracks, be solid in the dunes and also perform well in the high camel grass."

Naturally, comfort remains crucial during stages that can last up to five hours. "If you tune a car very stiff and only look at performance, I think after a few hours you start to lose weight and lose performance because the car is too stiff," he said.

With fuel loads varying by up to 450 pounds, another area also becomes essential. "Sometimes you simply need a compromise," he concluded, as he prepares for what could be another chapter in his remarkable Dakar legacy.