“So far, no one from Indonesia has ever finished the Dakar”
Crew facts
S.B.
- Shammie Baridwan will take part in his first Dakar in 2026, entered in the Classic category.
- He is one of the very few Indonesians ever to start the Dakar, with no Indonesian having reached the finish so far.
- His project was made possible thanks to Compagnie Saharienne, which provides its well-known “Arrive & Drive” package: car, professional team structure, mechanics and assistance, without any vehicle preparation required in Indonesia.
- He will be navigated by Ignas, an experienced co-driver and former desert rider, with whom he has already trained in Morocco.
I.D.
- Ignas Daunoravicius is a professional drift driver and race car builder.
- His only experience in regularity events before Dakar Classic was a regularity rally at the Nurburgring, decided by less than one second.
- Outside rally-raid, he is the owner and manager of Ringfreaks, one of the most successful race car rental companies at the Nurburgring, known for its yellow-and-black cars running daily on the Nordschleife.
Ambition
S.B.
“My journey started when I met a friend from Indonesia who told me about Compagnie Saharienne. They explained that the team could take care of everything: the vehicle, the mechanics, the team support. That meant I didn’t need to prepare anything in Indonesia. I contacted Lucas [Delmas-Marsalet, Team Principal] directly and asked if there was still a car available. One of my friends had already booked one, but there was another car. Everything was set from there. From that point on, all the preparation was handled by the team. I will race with Ignas as my co-driver. We already trained together during practice days in Morocco within our race car. He has much more experience than me in the desert. Before being a navigator, he was riding motorcycles in desert conditions, so he understands the terrain very well. He knows how to drive in the sand, how to manage gears, and how to approach the dunes. During our training, he taught me how to drive properly in the desert. My first goal for this Dakar is very clear: I want to finish. That is the priority. After that, maybe to win something, I don’t know if it’s first, second or third place. But first, I want to be a finisher. So far, no one from Indonesia has ever finished the Dakar. Only a couple of Indonesians started many years ago, but they stopped very early because the car broke down. So, for me, finishing this Dakar would already mean a lot.”
“My journey started when I met a friend from Indonesia who told me about Compagnie Saharienne. They explained that the team could take care of everything: the vehicle, the mechanics, the team support. That meant I didn’t need to prepare anything in Indonesia. I contacted Lucas [Delmas-Marsalet, Team Principal] directly and asked if there was still a car available. One of my friends had already booked one, but there was another car. Everything was set from there. From that point on, all the preparation was handled by the team. I will race with Ignas as my co-driver. We already trained together during practice days in Morocco within our race car. He has much more experience than me in the desert. Before being a navigator, he was riding motorcycles in desert conditions, so he understands the terrain very well. He knows how to drive in the sand, how to manage gears, and how to approach the dunes. During our training, he taught me how to drive properly in the desert. My first goal for this Dakar is very clear: I want to finish. That is the priority. After that, maybe to win something, I don’t know if it’s first, second or third place. But first, I want to be a finisher. So far, no one from Indonesia has ever finished the Dakar. Only a couple of Indonesians started many years ago, but they stopped very early because the car broke down. So, for me, finishing this Dakar would already mean a lot.”
I.D.
“My first Dakar Classic in 2025 was totally crazy. I knew it would be tough, but we arrived completely unprepared: no additional mechanics, no real support crew, just me as co-driver and Karolis as the driver. Navigation and all repair work were on my shoulders, so Dakar 2025 really took a toll on me, both physically and mentally, but it also gave me an incredible amount of experience. It was a true adventure. Despite being underdogs, racing for the first time without support and preparation, we still managed to finish third overall, which surprised even us. Dakar Classic was not originally part of my plan. My long-term goal is to compete in the Dakar on a motorcycle in the Original by Motul category, most likely in 2027. Before 2024, I had never done rallies or worked with roadbooks. My first real navigation experience came from a single motorcycle rally in Morocco, and since then I have been building experience step by step. Doing a second Dakar in the Classic category makes sense for me: it helps me gain experience, contacts and confidence before switching to two wheels. This year alone, I have already completed five rally-raids on a motorcycle. With Shammie, we completed the very well-organised Dakar Training Camp in Morocco, where Compagnie Saharienne recreated Dakar Classic-style stages. For him, this will be his first Dakar, so my role will be to manage navigation and help him get into the right rhythm as early as possible. After three days of training together, I’m confident we will be a strong duo. Our goal for Dakar Classic 2026 is the overall podium, which is why we entered the H1 class. We know how fragile the results can be in Classic, so we will give our best, and whatever happens, we will enjoy the race and aim to reach the finish.”
“My first Dakar Classic in 2025 was totally crazy. I knew it would be tough, but we arrived completely unprepared: no additional mechanics, no real support crew, just me as co-driver and Karolis as the driver. Navigation and all repair work were on my shoulders, so Dakar 2025 really took a toll on me, both physically and mentally, but it also gave me an incredible amount of experience. It was a true adventure. Despite being underdogs, racing for the first time without support and preparation, we still managed to finish third overall, which surprised even us. Dakar Classic was not originally part of my plan. My long-term goal is to compete in the Dakar on a motorcycle in the Original by Motul category, most likely in 2027. Before 2024, I had never done rallies or worked with roadbooks. My first real navigation experience came from a single motorcycle rally in Morocco, and since then I have been building experience step by step. Doing a second Dakar in the Classic category makes sense for me: it helps me gain experience, contacts and confidence before switching to two wheels. This year alone, I have already completed five rally-raids on a motorcycle. With Shammie, we completed the very well-organised Dakar Training Camp in Morocco, where Compagnie Saharienne recreated Dakar Classic-style stages. For him, this will be his first Dakar, so my role will be to manage navigation and help him get into the right rhythm as early as possible. After three days of training together, I’m confident we will be a strong duo. Our goal for Dakar Classic 2026 is the overall podium, which is why we entered the H1 class. We know how fragile the results can be in Classic, so we will give our best, and whatever happens, we will enjoy the race and aim to reach the finish.”
