Competing in the Dakar Classic Rally is a challenge that combines motorsport history with extreme desert conditions and precise navigation. In this year's edition of this prestigious competition, the Kamena Rally Team made history by achieving an unprecedented result in the truck category.
The team, supported by Autos and the Silverlines brand, started the rally with the legendary DAF The Bull and finished as the best truck in the entire Dakar Classic. Furthermore, they were the first truck in the history of this category to win a stage overall.
This isn't just a sporting success. It's also proof that consistent business partnerships and a well-thought-out communications strategy can truly strengthen a sports project at an international level.
The Dakar Classic Rally is a unique take on the legendary Dakar Rally , designed for historic vehicles that return to the racetrack in the spirit of past editions of this iconic event. Unlike modern categories, which are primarily determined by maximum speed, the Dakar Classic is based on a completely different competitive philosophy.
The key here is:
regularity of driving,
precise,
consistent navigation,
maintaining the designated average speeds on individual sections.
This competition requires not only driving skills but, above all, strategy, experience, and composure in every situation. Crews must carefully interpret the roadbook, control their pace, and avoid even the smallest mistakes, as any navigational error or exceeding the established parameters can result in a loss of points in the standings. The Dakar Classic routes lead through desert wilderness, rocky sections, and long marathon stages, where consistency and the ability to maintain concentration for many hours are crucial.
In such circumstances, the Kamena Rally Team consistently built its position in the standings, showing that in the Dakar Classic the key to success is precision, stability and well-thought-out management of the entire rally, and not just sporting aggression.
Competing in the legendary DAF The Bull truck isn't just a visual highlight, but a real technical challenge. The vehicle originates from Jan De Rooy's rally designs from the 1980s, when the manufacturer developed technologically advanced off-road trucks that built their legend on the world's toughest rally. The design is based on a 6x6 drivetrain, ensuring optimal traction in varied terrain, while the reinforced frame is designed to withstand the long-distance loads typical of cross-country rallying.
When competing in the Dakar Classic, it's not maximum power that's crucial, but steering precision, consistent performance, and mechanical reliability. The DAF The Bull combines a historical design with a carefully tuned rally suspension with increased travel, a functional cab designed for crew ergonomics, and solutions that enable effective traction and vehicle stability control. It's this technical consistency and solid structural foundation that ensure the truck remains competitive in the Dakar Classic, where precision, durability, and consistency are key at every stage of the competition.
The highlight of the rally was the overall stage victory. The Kamena Rally Team became the first truck in Dakar Classic history to win an entire stage of the rally, successfully competing against passenger cars.
This event is of great importance for the entire truck category, as it breaks the previous dominance of passenger cars and confirms the competitiveness of historic trucks.
Ultimately, the team was classified as the best truck of the entire Dakar Classic rally, which is one of the greatest successes in the history of this type of vehicle.
Success in the Dakar Classic Rally is no accident. It is the result of long-term preparation, cooperation, and partner support.
Autos, as a project partner, was involved in sports and communication activities, building a professional media narrative around the launch.
Silverlines specialists, in turn, closely observed how the oils and lubricants used in the rally truck behaved in extreme desert conditions . Analyzing the operation of the powertrain, transmission, and components under high loads and long-term use provided valuable data. These conclusions directly inform the development of products intended for everyday use in vehicles on civilian roads.
Thanks to this approach, participation in the Dakar Classic Rally has become for Silverlines not only an element of brand exposure, but also a practical testing ground, allowing them to improve product parameters in terms of durability, stability and engine protection in demanding operating conditions.
In this case, the cooperation between sport and business resulted in a tangible result – a historic result at one of the most recognizable rallies in the world.
Another distinguishing feature of the Kamena Rally Team's start was the professional communication conducted by the Dakar Studio. The project wasn't limited to analysis and summaries – our field correspondent, Karol, worked on-site , providing daily updates, reports, and behind-the-scenes insights directly from the rally route. This ensured that the materials were not only summaries but also journalistic and timely.
Thanks to this formula, partners, fans, and the industry could follow the competition live and receive verified information straight from Dakar. Studio Dakar became a platform combining sport, business, and communications into a cohesive media project.
Immediately following the Dakar Classic Rally, the Kamena Rally Team continued its momentum and embarked on the next stage of their sporting competition – competing in the 2026 FIA Baja World Cup in the UTV (SSV) class. This season encompasses a series of rounds held on three continents, beginning in the rallying environments of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the team competed in a Polaris RZR Pro R prepared by RD Racing.
Competing on sand dunes and technical desert stages, the Kamena Rally Team showed competitive pace right from the prologue, winning the SSV category in the Jordan Baja prologue and finishing on the podium in the overall standings, a significant result in the context of the fight for FIA World Cup points.
Such an intense calendar of events, from the Dakar Classic to the UTV World Cup rounds in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, demonstrates not only the team's versatility, but also its determination, professionalism and ability to adapt to a variety of rally conditions.
The Dakar Classic Rally demonstrated that a properly prepared project can combine motorsport history and sporting success. The Kamena Rally Team proved that a truck can not only compete but also win against the best in its category. For partners like Autos and Silverlines, this is proof that investing in ambitious sports projects translates into real image value and brand recognition.
The Dakar Classic Rally is one of the most demanding events in the world of historic motorsport. This year's start by the Kamen Rally Team undoubtedly goes down as one of the most important events in the history of this category – both from a sporting perspective and in terms of cooperation between sport and business.
