The 2026 Dakar Rally proved to be a true test of both human resilience and technical reliability for Buggyra ZM Racing in the Ultimate category.
-- Despite repeated mechanical issues, Aliyyah Koloc stayed in the race until an arm injury forced her retirement during the second marathon stage. Martin Koloc, competing in his first Dakar behind the wheel, was unable to finish the rally after a series of technical issues. He subsequently supported the team from the bivouac, contributing to strategic and technical decisions.
For Martin Koloc, Buggyra‘s CEO and Aliyyah’s father, the 2026 Dakar underlined both the challenge of the event and the strength of the team. “The Dakar is the ultimate stress test of people, machinery, and decision-making,” he said. “Experiencing the rally from inside the cockpit has given me a much deeper understanding of what the drivers and engineers face on the stages. That perspective will be extremely valuable as we evaluate our programme and define the next steps.“
Aliyyah Koloc highlighted the collective effort behind the scenes. “From a sporting point of view, it was a difficult Dakar, but the way the team worked together under constant pressure was impressive,” she said. “Every day brought a new challenge, and even when things didn’t go our way, the commitment never dropped. That’s something we can build on.”
After she injured her arm Aliyyah wanted to continue, but a joint team decision was made to retire her from the rally. “This was a clear call,” Martin Koloc explained. “Health always comes first. Continuing would have risked long-term consequences, and that’s not acceptable at this stage of the season.”
The Dakar also provided important insights for the upcoming season and beyond. “Racing at this level is becoming faster and more expensive,” Martin Koloc added. “We need to analyse this Dakar calmly, without emotion, and assess how we position ourselves going forward if we want to progress.”
For Aliyyah, the immediate priorities are recovery. “Right now, it is important to recover properly and reset. The Dakar takes a lot out of you, physically and mentally. So after those two weeks, we all deserve a short break before we start preparing for the season ahead.”
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