“I'm probably a better test driver than race driver”
Crew facts
M.K.
- Martin Koloc is the CEO of Buggyra ZM Racing and has been coming to the Dakar since the 1990s, but it is only in 2026 that he will finally be making his competitive debut in the Ultimate class.
- The 58-year-old always dreamed of being a racing driver and began competing in truck circuit races in the early 1990s, going on to win two European championship titles. In 1993 he set up his own racing team and later joined forces with Buggyra, founded in 1969 by the illustrious Czech car designer Vaclav Kral.
- Martin worked as a support driver when the Dakar was held in Africa, then started attending regularly during the South American era, when Buggyra began taking part in the trucks class.
- This year he will be competing alongside his 21-year-old daughter Aliyyah Koloc, who is preparing for her fourth Dakar outing. She will be getting behind the wheel of a turbo-charged Red-Lined Revo T1+, while Martin will drive a non-turbo version of the same car, which Aliyyah drove last year. Meanwhile, her twin sister Yasmeen Koloc will be working as Martin's race engineer.
- The Czech entrepreneur will be joined in car #251 by navigator Mirko Brun and describes the young Italian as "resilient" and "a fast learner".
M.B.
- Mirko Brun is a talented co-driver who will also be making his Dakar debut in 2026, describing it as "the biggest event of my life".
- The 26-year-old grew up in Pordenone, about an hour north of Venice, where the Italian Baja is held every year. His father is involved in organising the event, which first sparked Mirko's interest in racing.
- Mirko began competing properly in 2021, teaming up with Amerigo Ventura in a Yamaha SSV. Together they claimed the European Baja Cup title in the T4 class in 2022. Mirko has also collected two national co-drivers' titles, in the T4s (2022) and T1s (2024).
- His first proper rally-raid was the Rallye du Maroc 2024, where he and Martin retired in the Open class. They fared better at the 2025 edition, finishing second in the same category.
Ambition
M.K.: “I stopped racing in 1999, but carried on doing testing in various series, helping with vehicle development in NASCAR, Pickup and DTM. I'm probably a better test driver than race driver! And I'm always testing cars for Aliyyah. In 2024 she had a break after surgery, so I jumped in the car for some bajas and the Rallye du Maroc. I thought about entering Dakar 2025, but I didn't have anyone to replace me in team management. This year we've made structural changes to the team so I could unload myself and return to the position of racing driver. I'm 58 now, so I left it quite late to make my Dakar debut! Even though we had Karel Loprais, I've never considered the trucks as the kingdom of Dakar. The top category for me has always been the cars, I remember watching guys like Ari Vatanen. The fact that I can enter this game is pretty amazing. In a lot of ways, I'm doing it for my kids. I always talk about what it was like racing 25-30 years ago, but I wanted to give them a real example of how I race. I want to do it with absolute commitment and uncompromised attention to detail. Those are the values I want to teach my kids. I'm so fortunate to be able to do what I love with them. Aliyyah will be racing, and her sister Yasmeen is the race engineer on my car. Their brother is only six years old, but he's already started racing go-karts and quads, and he's counting down how many Dakars it is until he can take part! My main objective is to support Aliyyah. I will be racing a car with a V8 engine, which is slower than hers. In some ways I'm taking her out of her comfort zone, because she'll be pushed to the limit and won't want to be beaten by Dad! But at the same time, she knows I'll be there and I'll never leave her.”
M.B.: “My love of motorsport comes from my father, because he's involved in the organisation of the Italian Baja. I was born into a racing environment and grew up around the cars and drivers. One year I decided I wanted to join the motorsport world and I started my career as a co-driver. I follow the Dakar every year, watching on television every night. I never miss a thing! So it feels very special to be making my debut this year; it was one of my big life targets. Our main objective is to finish, but why not try to get a good result as well? For sure it will be a hard race, physically and mentally. The Dakar lasts for two weeks; it's a very different challenge from what I have done so far, with a lot more kilometres. Martin and I have a good relationship. We talk so much about everything. He's a good guy and I like his driving style. I think we make a strong duo.”
