Q&A: At the Dakar Rally, Ford’s CEO talks Raptor, V-8s and hybrids

Posted by Talbot Payne on January 18, 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Ford Racing helps the Dearborn-based automaker across the globe by growing brand profile, employee talent and tech learnings for production cars.

Its latest racing venture is the brutal 14-day Dakar Rally across the Saudi sand. It’s the toughest off-road race on the global calendar — the Le Mans of off-road. Ford entered eight Raptor T1 Ultimate racers — four of them factory entries — in an all-out assault to win the top class in 2026.

CEO Jim Farley sat down in Ford’s Dakar paddock (bivouac in Dakar-speak) to talk with international media — including The Detroit News. The wide-ranging discussion touched on racing, hybrids, quality control, software development, Chinese competition, the Saudi and European markets, and the irresistible sound of an American V-8 in the desert.

Ford CEO Jim Farley speaks with media members during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. Farley set an ambitious goal of and winning the Dakar Rally to elevate Raptor as a global off-road brand.

Ford CEO Jim Farley speaks with media members during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. Farley set an ambitious goal of and winning the Dakar Rally to elevate Raptor as a global off-road brand.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

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