LITHUANIA. A family dynamic has taken centre stage ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally. The official announcement of Benediktas Vanagas's new navigator has resulted in the immediate recusal of one of Dakar's most senior officials.
Vanagas Picks Local Navigator
Vanagas, a Dakar veteran and Lithuania's highest-ranked driver in the car category, confirmed that fellow Lithuanian Aisvydas Paliukėnas will join his Gurtam TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Baltics team.
The announcement marks the end of a 12-year period during which Vanagas had partnered with foreign navigators. Paliukėnas replaces Estonian Kuldar Sikk, who partnered with Vanagas for the best result in his career and Baltic motorsports history.
Chairperson of the Stewards Steps Down
The appointment created an immediate ethical dilemma for Aisvydas's father, Dr Arnas Paliukėnas.
A renowned sports law specialist and FIA International Steward, Dr Paliukėnas, had been nominated to serve as the Chair of the panel of Stewards for the Dakar 2026. This would have been his fourth consecutive year in the prestigious role.
"The position comes with responsibility," Dr Paliukėnas confirmed. "This is true sport. You cannot hold such a position if a family member is competing."
He had already accepted the nomination. Upon learning his son would be navigating for the high-profile Vanagas, Dr Paliukėnas swiftly reported his conflict. His recusal was accepted and confirmed by the governing body.
Dr Paliukėnas explained that his son's previous navigation experience with other crews, which may have been considered "rookie" crews, could have been evaluated differently. This time, given Aisvydas's accumulated experience and the fact that he will be paired with Dakar legend Vanagas, the crew clearly does not meet the criteria for the beginner category.
Professionalism Applauded
Vanagas acknowledged Dr Paliukėnas's decision to step down as a display of unquestionable integrity.
"Arnas Paliukėnas, as Chairperson of the Stewards panel at the Dakar event, is a huge achievement for Lithuania," said Vanagas. "No less important than the success of any team in the race. I respect his professional approach to the job“.
Vanagas called it a "beautiful connection between father and son, where the father presses pause so the son can move forward."
Tough road to success for the private team
Vanagas has an established history of high-stakes, dramatic finishes in the iconic rally-raid.
Record-breaking run
Vanagas secured a career-best finish in the car category in 2024. Partnering with Estonian Kuldar Sikk, the crew finished an impressive eighth place overall. This result stands as the highest ever achieved by a Baltic nation in the Dakar car class.
The five-second heartbreak
Perhaps Vanagas' most dramatic finish came in 2019. Driving with Polish navigator Sebastian Rozwadowski, he finished 11th overall. They missed out on a top-ten placement by a mere five seconds, one of the tightest margins in Lithuanian Dakar history.
The start to remember
Vanagas made his Dakar debut in 2013. His first navigator was fellow Lithuanian Saulius Jurgelėnas. At that time, this crew gained immediate attention from the world's media as resilient Lithuanians, dangerously poised on the edge of a cliff in South America.
Aisvydas Paliukėnas will serve as Vanagas's navigator for the 2026 Dakar and all subsequent races, marking a new chapter for Gurtam TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Baltics team.
Source: Gurtam TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Baltics
Photo - Vytautas Pilkauskas
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
