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News24 | WATCH | Riaan Manser at the Dakar Rally: Chasing hardcore athletes through the desert

[embedded content]In Part 2 of his week-long stay at the Dakar Rally, Riaan Manser marvels at the power of the racers and their cars as they hurtle through the desert, and thought he’d seen it all in the deserts of the world until he joined the Ford team this week.You may forgive me – or you may not. That, I won’t be able to influence. But let me try. I thought I’d seen it all in the deserts of the world. So this week, I didn’t expect much: a gathering of car nerds and petrolheads, breathing in nothing but exhaust fumes and desert dust! “Move right along,“ I thought, “there will be nothing new to see.“I have spent the last 25 years seeing and doing a few extraordinary things in my explorer existence. Many years ago, I crossed every desert on the African continent – on a bicycle. Yip. Centimetre by centimetre.Two weeks ago, I was in Antarctica for the 20th time, the world’s driest and largest desert on earth, which has shown me the polar opposite of these worlds of bristling heat, granular sand and rock formations. Deep-field Antarctica is not where cruise ships take you to or are able to sail by. This is where almost nothing survives or thrives. Even humans, with all the technology at hand, would not arm-wrestle a dispute successfully in this place – if it decided to take you. Easily the most unforgiving place on planet earth.The above is my limited pitch at forgiveness. I believed I have seen a fair chunk of the rugged world that surrounds us. I did not expect to meet these hardcore athletes at the 2026 Dakar Rally in the Saudi Arabian desert. READ | Riaan Manser at the Dakar Rally: The wildest ride on earth is one for the bucket listWith the ability to counter never-ending fatigue, physically unrelenting G-force abuse, fear, heat, and rollercoaster emotions. I did not expect to meet the people who help them perform. The management, the mechanics, the sponsors, and the fans. I stood with Jazz, the only female mechanic, alongside Carlos Sainz Senior’s car. She had scolded me two minutes before because I tried to chat while she was still pinned underneath the car, putting the last bolts on to secure the rear differential. She came to apologise for her curt interaction with me minutes before. Astounded, I was. I tried to shake her hand. She showed her grease-laden hand and lifted it as if in apology. “I can’t let you shake these dirty hands,” she said. I insisted. It was a privilege, actually. And then it hit me: THIS is motorsport. I asked her if Carlos winning the Dakar would mean anything to her. “Everything! Everything!” she cried.“Everything.” She repeated. “I love these guys. We are a family. We only dream big. If they win, I win.”Wow! And I thought it was all about cars.Riaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserRiaan Manser joined the Ford team in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally, and it taught him he hadn't seen everything yet in the deserts of the world.Riaan ManserFord global CEO Jim Farley then joined us in a broader team huddle with the other crew. The hustle of the Ford race camp continued around us. A determination in his eyes and in his voice. “We’re not sponsors, we’re partners. We’re not doing this for marketing. We are in business together with you, to conquer the world. The Dakar Rally. The only race that Ford has never won.”And then, glancing up from his slight hunched-over position, he looked up at Nani, Carlos, Mitch and Matthias. “We’re stone-cold killers, every one of us. Let’s go and win this f***ing thing!”Humble pie has an aftertaste that lingers. Extraordinary, in that it has properties to both humble and then to possibly also build “more” confidence. Simultaneously. I thought I knew. I quickly realised I didn’t and I accepted this fact. Again quickly. And now you’ll battle to shut me up when we talk deserts, Dakars, horsepower and motorsport. I may casually even offer you a spin in my Ranger Raptor. No jokes. I have changed. I have grown. Please forgive me. Or don’t...Go and chase your next outdoors adventure, even if you think you’ve seen it all.The outdoors is screaming for you, time to listen.*Riaan Manser is a pioneering international explorer with multiple world-firsts and has joined the team as the new editor of News24 Outdoors, driven by Ford. The trip to the Dakar Rally was courtesy of Ford.

admin Published: January 17, 2026 | Updated: January 18, 2026 6 minutes read

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In Part 2 of his week-long stay at the Dakar Rally, Riaan Manser marvels at the power of the racers and their cars as they hurtle through the desert, and thought he’d seen it all in the deserts of the world until he joined the Ford team this week.

You may forgive me – or you may not. That, I won’t be able to influence.

But let me try.

I thought I’d seen it all in the deserts of the world. So this week, I didn’t expect much: a gathering of car nerds and petrolheads, breathing in nothing but exhaust fumes and desert dust!

“Move right along,“ I thought, “there will be nothing new to see.“

I have spent the last 25 years seeing and doing a few extraordinary things in my explorer existence. Many years ago, I crossed every desert on the African continent – on a bicycle. Yip. Centimetre by centimetre.

Two weeks ago, I was in Antarctica for the 20th time, the world’s driest and largest desert on earth, which has shown me the polar opposite of these worlds of bristling heat, granular sand and rock formations. Deep-field Antarctica is not where cruise ships take you to or are able to sail by. This is where almost nothing survives or thrives. Even humans, with all the technology at hand, would not arm-wrestle a dispute successfully in this place – if it decided to take you. Easily the most unforgiving place on planet earth.

The above is my limited pitch at forgiveness. I believed I have seen a fair chunk of the rugged world that surrounds us. I did not expect to meet these hardcore athletes at the 2026 Dakar Rally in the Saudi Arabian desert.

READ | Riaan Manser at the Dakar Rally: The wildest ride on earth is one for the bucket list

With the ability to counter never-ending fatigue, physically unrelenting G-force abuse, fear, heat, and rollercoaster emotions. I did not expect to meet the people who help them perform. The management, the mechanics, the sponsors, and the fans.

I stood with Jazz, the only female mechanic, alongside Carlos Sainz Senior’s car. She had scolded me two minutes before because I tried to chat while she was still pinned underneath the car, putting the last bolts on to secure the rear differential. She came to apologise for her curt interaction with me minutes before. Astounded, I was. I tried to shake her hand. She showed her grease-laden hand and lifted it as if in apology.

“I can’t let you shake these dirty hands,” she said.

I insisted. It was a privilege, actually. And then it hit me: THIS is motorsport. I asked her if Carlos winning the Dakar would mean anything to her.

“Everything! Everything!” she cried.

“Everything.” She repeated. “I love these guys. We are a family. We only dream big. If they win, I win.”

Wow! And I thought it was all about cars.