“To create even more beautiful memories”
Crew facts
- Fascinated with the “myth” of the Dakar, Giuseppe Francesco Simonato became a legend himself in an environment he’s known since the 1990s. After decades in the desert, 2026 marks his 20th adventure (including participations in the Dakar Classic and editions where he supported other contenders).
- The Italian is particularly fascinated with Iveco trucks and the history they’ve made in the Dakar. Since 2024, his team GeaLife Motorsport revives some of the greatest assaults on the desert.
- After a couple of editions aboard his dear “Musone”, a Magirus he lends to a second GeaLife crew in 2026, Simonato returns to Saudi Arabia aboard a new truck, an Iveco 190 inspired by Agostino Tocci’s participation in 1987.
- Simonato also has his mind set on the future. He races with biofuel and prepares a third truck for 2027.
- At 27 years old, Alexander Sorbelli enjoys a once in a lifetime adventure as he faces the Saudi desert in his first participation in the Dakar Classic.
- The truffle hunter will chase much different treasures in the world’s most iconic rallye-raid. To him, participating in the Dakar is a “dream”.
- He brings to the table his mechanical skills, and a very high motivation to prove himself worthy of the opportunity offered by Giuseppe Simonato.
Ambition
G.F.S.: “It's always thrilling to return to the Dakar Classic, because every year the route is even more interesting and increasingly challenging.
This year, GeaLife Motorsport comes with two trucks. There's our Musone, the old Magirus that has been in the Dakar Classic since 2024. It will be used by Porello, Capelli and Casadei. And we have the new one, the Iveco 190, that took a year and a half to prepare. It's a replica of the model Agostino Tocci used in 1987. We started with a historic truck and prepared it specifically for classic rallyes.
The team's purpose is to race the Iveco trucks that are the most representative in the history of the Dakar. Now we have these two and we're preparing a third one for 2027, a Turbo Daily. So we will compete with all the range of Iveco models that raced from Paris to Dakar at the time.
It's a great honour to race with Syndiely. I've known and admired her for years. She has a lot of experience but it will be her first time in the Classic, so she's very motivated with that. And Alexander replaces Alessio [Bentivoglio], who had back problems last year and will now be in the pits, so to speak, as a mechanic for the team.
I have a score to settle after we had to withdraw last year. So I'm even more motivated. I really like Saudi Arabia, I already have many fond memories, but we want to create even more beautiful ones. And this year, I think the crew is very well put together, with an important and capable navigator and a new mechanic who is also competent on the vehicle, so we have high expectations, absolutely.”
A.S.: “Dakar is the most exciting, tough and well-known rally challenge in the world, so for me it is definitely a dream to participate. It is also a unique experience that you rarely get in life, and one that will certainly leave a mark and a memory for a lifetime. At the same time, it is also a personal challenge of endurance and courage, and a test of my physical and mental limits.
The role I have been assigned is certainly an important one, and I am proud to have earned the team's trust. I will try to bring my experience and mechanical insights to the table. I would like to truly be a right-hand man worthy of the role assigned to me. But above all, I want to be a support who shares both the joys and the pains 100%.
Obviously, a good Dakar 2026 would be to finish with an excellent score and few breakdowns along the way. But also to remain a united and collaborative team at all times.”
