Buggyra ZM Racing announced today in Prague that team principal Martin Koloc will make his Dakar Rally debut as a driver in the 2026 edition, competing alongside his daughter Aliyyah Koloc. The pair will become the first father-daughter duo to race in the Ultimate (T1+) category, the highest class in rally raid, driving two separate cars. Martin will be at the wheel of a non-turbo Red-Lined Revo T1+, while Aliyyah returns for her fourth Dakar in a turbocharged Red-Lined Revo T1+.
A historic father-daughter entry
The 2026 Dakar will mark the first time Martin and Aliyyah Koloc share the same category on the world’s toughest rally. Their joint story has been growing for a while, most recently when both drove at the recent Rallye du Maroc as part of their Dakar preparation. « As a father, it is very special to drive alongside Aliyyah. We are teammates with the same goal, » Martin Koloc says. « And if something goes wrong, I can reach her quickly and help find a solution right away. In the past, I was in the bivouac, trying to guess what was happening through a satellite phone. »
Aliyyah welcomes the new dynamic, even if it comes with emotion. « Of course, I am nervous knowing my father will do the Dakar. But I know he can do it, » she says. « After three Dakars as a driver, I have more experience than my dad, » Aliyyah explains. « So I help him prepare mentally, physically, and with the small things you need in the car. I really like to share this with him. »
Martin Koloc: From team principal to Dakar driver
Martin Koloc, CEO of Buggyra ZM Racing and a two-time European truck racing champion, has spent more than a decade at the Dakar in a management role. After years of testing and developing cars for the team, he now steps into the driver’s seat himself. « I was already close to participating in the 2025 Dakar Rally, but I couldn’t find someone to take over my responsibilities in the team, » Martin says. « I’ve done a lot of testing kilometers to support Aliyyah, and somewhere along the way, the idea grew. My kids hear stories about my racing years all the time, so I want them to see it for real. »
For Martin, racing is also a way to lead by example. « I want my kids and the team to see what commitment and dedication to success look like. I still love racing, and I am ready to enjoy this challenge together with them. »
He will start the 2026 Dakar with start number 251, co-driven by Italian navigator Mirko Brun which whom he has already participated in the recent Rallye du Maroc.
Aliyyah Koloc: A young Dakar veteran
At only 21, Aliyyah Koloc has built solid experience across three Dakar rallies. After debuting in the T3 class at age 18, she stepped into a T1+ in 2024 and 2025, driving a non-turbo Red-Lined Revo T1+. In 2024, she completed the grueling two-day Chrono48 stage inside the top 10 of the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, while also being the highest-placed woman in the Ultimate class during Chrono48 in 2025.
« The Dakar is extreme in every way. Intense emotions, huge pressure, and a tough environment, » Aliyyah explains. « This will be my fourth Dakar, but I am still learning. My driving is much cleaner now, and with that comes speed. And at this year’s Dakar we had many mechanical issues, so I learned to be resilient, but also how to be a better mechanic! »
Aliyyah will have start number 250, co-driven for the first time by Marcin Pasek, a 29-year-old Polish navigator who has competed in the Dakar before.
A family at the world’s toughest rally
So what will it be like racing with her father and seeing his name in the standings each day? « We are both very competitive, so for sure there will be some friendly competition, and of course I want to be faster than him! But our main goal is to support each other and get to the finish line, » Aliyyah says.
Martin adds: « I don’t have anything to prove. My car is non-turbo charged, hers is, so pure performance isn’t the point. I’m here to support Aliyyah and continue development work. Being able to do this together gives me all the motivation I need. »
The 2026 Dakar begins on January 3 and will run for two weeks through the Saudi Arabian desert. For Martin and Aliyyah Koloc, it will be more than a race. It will be a shared challenge that brings their family story to the world’s biggest stage in cross-country rallying.