Big news: Today, the Dutch Dakar team De Rooy FPT registered no fewer than 3 Iveco Powerstar race trucks for the 11th edition of the Morocco Desert Challenge. Not a Dutch trio this time, but a remarkable mix of nationalities.

Poland will be represented by Darek Lysek. In the last Dakar, he finished 11th behind the wheel of an MM Technology truck. The two top podium positions achieved by Team De Rooy in Dakar 2026 certainly contributed to his decision to try his luck in a “winning truck.”

The second team comes from Mexico - yes, Mexico! Pedro De Uriarte and his friend and navigator Eduardo Vanzzini are no strangers to the MDC. For many years they competed in the T1 category, supported by a Belgian team. Pedro has already raced the Dakar on a motorcycle, and now the flamboyant Mexican aims to prove himself in the toughest class.

The biggest surprise is team three, coming from the Netherlands. Promising talent Kay Huzink, winner of the MDC2025 truck classification and stage winner in the last Dakar (and 7th overall), leaves -at least for this race- Mario Kress’s Renault stable and will drive an Iveco for Team De Rooy for the first time.

Together with William Van Groningen’s “Dust Warriors” team, this means there will already be four Iveco Powerstar De Rooy trucks at the start of MDC2026. And there's 2 more in the pipeline!

Henk Van Leuven, team manager at De Rooy, is also pleased with the participation:
“The MDC is a great, well-organized rally. We have already started here three times and always went home with good memories. It’s also a rally where we can introduce new drivers to our trucks and our team, while at the same time identifying talent with potential for future support from Team De Rooy.”

Source: MDC