“We'll have a target on our backs”
CREW FACTS…
X.d.S
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Following a motorbike career in which he finished seventh in 2019, Xavier de Soultrait opted to take to four wheels in 2023 in the SSV category in a Polaris for the Sébastien Loeb-led SLR team (after considering a co-driver role alongside the nine-time WRC champion).
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His collaboration with long-time friend Martin Bonnet, with whom he raced in the French national enduro team, was the cornerstone of their victory in their second participation in 2024.
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For 2025, the SLR team now has official support from Polaris, with a third driver, Brock Heger, to line up three factory vehicles and again aim for the Dakar title.
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Preparations for 2025 included tests in Mexico, Morocco and the Emirates. Xavier also entered the 24 Hours of Paris with Polaris at the last minute. He won in the SSV category and finished second overall.
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In his spare time, the Auvergne native serves as a motorbike ambassador for his partners at events and is also a member of the GIGS (Groupe d'Intervention Grand Sanglier).
M.B.
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A friend and former teammate of Xavier's in enduro, Martin Bonnet, won the 2013 French Enduro Championship.
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An engineer and polyglot, he competed in his first Dakar on a motorbike three years ago and the Rally of Morocco.
2025 AMBITIONS
XdS: “This year, our collaboration with Polaris has taken on a new dimension. We have strengthened our team with the arrival of a new factory driver, Brock Heger, allowing us to enter three official vehicles on the 2025 Dakar. Moreover, we have a long-term vision and a solid organisation, which is essential to perform in such a competitive category. Our 2024 victory was a fierce battle right up to the last stage, we know the pressure will be even greater this year. Being favourites is a privilege, but it also means we'll have a target on our backs. That's why our preparation has been so intense. We have tested in Mexico, Morocco and the Emirates, which has allowed us to fine-tune our SSV and train in various conditions. This year, the key will be to remain consistent and run a clean race with no mistakes or major problems. We've proved that we can compete with the best. Winning in 2024 was no fluke; the tests with experienced drivers confirmed that. It gives us even more motivation to aim for solid results this year. It's rare to have this kind of chemistry in the cockpit, and it's the bedrock of our performance.”
M.B.: “Winning the last Dakar in an SSV was an exceptional experience. We came here to perform well but without high expectations, and in the end, a good strategy and a well-developed Polaris enabled us to do just that. Sharing this success with Xavier, a long-standing friend with whom I was in the French national enduro team, made this victory even more special. This year, having the number 400 on the car is a great source of pride, but it also comes with extra pressure because we'll be expected to do much more. We know the Dakar is unpredictable, so we aim to remain consistent, maintain the same philosophy as last year and implement an intelligent strategy while knowing when to accelerate. We have a lot of experience in top-level sports, which helps us deal with the pressure and stay focused on the essentials. Outside of rallying, I'm a construction engineer and stay very busy. I do enduro racing, mountain biking (I'm the French champion this year) and other sports like kayaking. All these activities help me keep my equilibrium and stay in shape for challenges like the Dakar.”
