“It felt like unfinished business, so we’re back!”
En resumen
D.K.
- Dave Klaassen was only two and a half when the pioneers of the very first Dakar set off. He grew up watching the early editions, fascinated by Dutch legends like Jan de Rooy. He never really imagined taking part himself, it felt far too expensive to even dream about. But when he began riding in 2014, a simple hobby quickly turned into a full-fledged passion, and eventually into a lifestyle.
- As the owner of a major international packaging company, the Dutchman used his professional success to fund his enthusiasm for rally-raid. He trained and competed in various countries including South Africa, Morocco, and Portugal, often with his partner Tessa as his navigator.
- Their first Dakar came in 2023. They completed the rally, finishing as second-best rookies in their class. In 2025, their debut in T1+ was cut short by a mechanical issue that cost them the finisher’s medal.
- The Klaassen family runs its own structure, DaklaPack Rallysport, which provides a variety of rally-related services (support, assistance…). They also designed their own car, making this Dakar even more personal and home built. And the Klaassen name won’t appear only in Ultimate: Dave’s son, Pim, will compete in Challenger, as will his second niece, Puck.
T.K.
- Graphic designer, Tessa Klaassen wasn’t especially drawn to motorsport before she met Dave. Her relationship with the Dutch businessman introduced her to rally-raid about a decade ago. She quickly developed her own passion for the sport and has since competed in multiple countries -South Africa, Morocco, Spain, Saudi Arabia- as Dave’s navigator. “And yes, we still manage to survive together inside the car!”, she jokes.
- Dakar 2026 will mark their third appearance on the rally. They debuted in 2023, completing the event. In 2025, although they covered almost the full route, mechanical issues left them with stage DNFs, costing them the finisher’s medal. Originally, they intended to return only in 2027, but the frustration of missing out pushed them to speed up their comeback. They didn’t want to wait so long to try again!
- The Dakar is deeply tied to their personal story. Two years ago, Tessa was still competing under the name Rooth. She now bears the name Klaassen, after marrying Dave, who proposed to her… on the podium of Dakar 2023. Together they run their own outfit, DaklaPack Rallysport, offering a wide range of rally-raid services, including assistance and support programs in countries like Portugal and South Africa.
Ambición
D.K.: “2025 was a real challenge for us. We drove almost every day but we had a problem with our differential. So officially we didn’t make the podium, but we still had a real Dakar. It was interesting, and we even helped bikers in the middle of the night in the dunes. If you have a smooth Dakar, it’s still hard, but a real Dakar is when you have to solve problems during the race. Our first Dakar in 2023 wasn’t perfect, but we didn’t really face any truly difficult moments. Last year, we certainly did. It felt like unfinished business, so even though we originally planned to return in two years, I said: ‘Let’s go back in 2026!’ It’s going to be an amazing year because we’ll be coming with two vehicles in the Challenger class. My older son will be driving, which is very special for us. We’re really looking forward to it. Even more exciting is that we’ll be racing in a car that we designed ourselves. It’s our own new vehicle, and that makes this project even more meaningful. We developed this new car in South Africa and getting it from there to Saudi Arabia is a challenge in itself! Our main goal is to bring the car to the finish line, and securing a P25/P30 result would already be a great success. I also want to support my son. He’s competitive in the Challenger class and, if everything goes well, he could even aim for a Top 5. But it’s his first Dakar, so you can’t expect too much from a 21-year-old. For us, getting the car to the finish.”
T.K.: “Unfortunately, we didn’t officially finish Dakar 2025 because a wishbone broke early in one of the stages. It was a huge disappointment, but we pulled ourselves together and kept pushing to complete every remaining day. That’s why they say Dakar teaches you how to deal with setbacks. It really motivated us to come back stronger and here we are again, with a brand-new car! The difference between T1 and T1+ is enormous. In 2023 we were one of the last remaining T1 cars, and it was incredibly difficult to get through the deep ruts left by the larger-wheel vehicles. In the dunes we often had to climb out and dig ourselves free. With the T1+, we didn’t have to step out once in the dunes. The car absorbs so much more, and that makes it far more comfortable to drive. Dave and I have been racing together for almost ten years now. That already says a lot. We know each other very well and we know exactly what to expect from one another. As always, our main goal is to finish. We achieved that in our first Dakar, and unfortunately not last year. We really want to bring that medal home again, especially now that we’re starting with our new DKR Evo. We will also be partly supporting Dave’s son, Pim Klaassen, in the Challenger class. If needed, we’ll help him along the way, for example by carrying spare parts in our vehicle or assisting with repairs.”
