“A treasure hunt”
Crew facts
ML
- At the head of IMF Engineering, Marco Leva delivers neat finishes for metal surfaces… And in the Dakar Classic, he puts to the test vintage cars that take him through the desert, the sand and the mud.
- The Italian businessman took on the Dakar adventure alongside his wife Alexia Giugni, with a challenging first participation in 2023 aboard a Fiat Panda. The couple called on the grit and resilience that characterise Dakarians as they fight their way through the desert.
- Aboard a much more powerful Mitsubishi Pajero, they showed their consistency in 2024 and 2025 to become a prominent duo in the Top 10 of the Dakar Classic rankings. Now it’s no longer about surviving. They want to conquer the desert.
AG
- Alexia Giugni is a seasoned investor and an enthusiast pilot used to sharing her passion with her family. Her daughter is often her co-pilot aboard vintage cars. But when it comes to the Dakar Classic, she partners up with her husband Marco Leva.
- Their third participation, climbing up to the 5th place in 2025, naturally called for a fourth one, still backed by the essential R Team as the Italian couple gradually move up the ladders in Saudi Arabia.
- After a complicated first participation aboard a Fiat Panda, they showed their consistency to become a prominent duo in the Top 10 of the Dakar Classic rankings. Now it’s no longer about surviving. They want to conquer the desert.
Ambition
M.L.: “Every participation is a renewed dream. Every time I'm there and experience the atmosphere of the bivouac, the adrenaline of the race, being in that world, it's an emotion that lives on. And that's why I'm always there. I try to do my race and I try to do it well within the limits that I am well aware I have, because I do other things in life, I'm not a driver. But I like to put myself out there, in short. My goal is to improve.
Last year’s 5th place was a great result and, honestly, I’m not sure I can do any better. Those ahead of me, they’re like pros, they’re really good. I struggle with the dunes and I can’t read the sand so I need to follow the tracks of the drivers ahead of me, otherwise I would get lost.
But when it comes to regularity, I must say, modestly, that we are obviously quite good, because Alexia is a very good navigator and therefore manages to give me all the information I need to maintain the average speed. And then, the navigation becomes a bit of a treasure hunt, where you have to go and hunt for these waypoints.”
A.G.: “The Dakar, also in its Classic version, is always unique and unpredictable, and every year there is something new for us to learn. After the first edition in a Panda, where the challenge was to reach the finish line, we can be competitive with our Mitsubishi Pajero, but our performance is always a combination of a thousand factors: a fantastic team, great preparation, a pinch of luck, a lot of determination and a great deal of humility towards the main protagonist, the desert and the abyss that surrounds us.
The surprise for many is the variety of landscapes, terrain characteristics and difficulties. But with one common factor, the great hospitality of the people we meet in the Saudi desert.
The goal for 2026 is the same as in other years: not to divorce at the end of the race! I am curious to see what's new this year, and I know that whatever happens, it will be an adventure!.”
