“The most important thing is not to be fast, but to stay focused”
En resumen
J.S.:
- Juraj Sebalj can tell you loads about rally racing. The Croatian driver is a 11-time national champion, and a 4-time Croatia Rally winner (now part of the WRC calendar). He entered rally-raid in 2023, fulfilling his dream of competing in the Dakar Classic. His two stage wins in 2025 in this regularity race (20th position overall) clearly make him a podium contender.
- The driver from Zagreb is a national celebrity, and his new navigator is also famous: the Croatian actor Dusan Bucan. It will be his very first rally-raid experience, but Juraj is confident about his ability to quickly find himself comfortable and competitive.
- As a Toyota ambassador in Croatia, Juraj wanted a vehicle from the brand. He had a BJ71 last year, but he bought an HDJ 80 from Lucas Longepe, 2025 Dakar Classic competitor. “I remember him crying because he didn’t want to sell it, which means the car is good!” Several clients were interested. Juraj promised Lucas that if he sold it to him, he would win with the car. Challenge accepted!
D.B. :
- In Croatia, Dusan Bucan is known as a famous actor who has appeared in major films and series. It was on a television set that he met Juraj Sebalj, also a national celebrity as a racing driver. They quickly connected, and that’s how they embarked on the Dakar Classic adventure. The third participation in a row for the driver, but the first for the actor.
- Passionate about horses and bikes, Dusan has already ridden in enduro and even experienced sand riding. But he has never competed and has never even worked as a car navigator. He’s going to Yanbu as a rookie in all aspects, alongside one of the most competitive drivers in the Dakar Classic: Juraj won two stages in 2025!
- Two races await the famous actor from Zagreb. The first: the Dakar Classic, which he hopes to finish on January 17 th . The second: a quick return to Zagreb after crossing the finish line, as he has to participate in a major show at the National Theatre 24 hours later. Clearly a man of challenges!
Ambición
J.S.: “From my point of view, every real rally driver wants to do the Dakar. This has been my dream from the first time I drove a rally. After winning 11 Croatian rally championships, I said: ‘that’s enough, I need something new, let’s go to the Dakar Classic’. The 2025 edition was my second, it started very well but then I struggled with navigation, and I hope to do better this year. We won two stages, but at one point we made a mistake when we were tired and lost a lot of points. That’s Dakar, that’s how it goes; the most important thing is not to be fast, but to stay focused. This year, I want to make as few mistakes as possible. I have a new car, a well-prepared HDJ 80, and also a new navigator. I’m expecting a challenging and beautiful adventure. I would like to finish on the podium, but there are many strong drivers. I’m no longer in the H1 class but in the H2 category. For the overall win, it’s not an ideal starting position, but the rules are the same for everyone.”
D.B.: “We did a TV show with Juraj, during which he told me he was looking for a navigator who could also be a kind of survivalist. Of course I said: ‘Yeah, absolutely!’ I want to do the Dakar because it’s one of the greatest adventures in the world. It’s hard, and it’s my childhood dream. When I first heard about the Dakar, I said that I would love to take part in it. Almost 40 years later, this dream is coming true. I enjoy riding enduro bikes and I also do horse riding, but this will be my first time as a car navigator, so it will be a completely different experience. First, we want to finish, but of course, we also want to win. Who doesn’t want to win?”
