“It's been a big year of learning”
En bref
P.K.
- Puck Klaassen is gearing up for her third Dakar, having completed Dakar Classic in 2024 with her father Sebastiaan in a Porsche Martiny. In 2025, the 23-year-old got behind the wheel of a G Rally Team OT3 in the Challenger class, alongside former Original by Motul winner Charan Moore. And the outcome was another happy one with a finish despite all sorts of typical Dakar issues.
- While her family originally comes from the Netherlands, Puck grew up in South Africa, where Sebastiaan owns a vineyard. She raced motorbikes and go karts as a child then spent seven years focusing on show jumping. Three years ago, she took up motocross, but after sustaining a leg injury she switched to driving cars. Sebastiaan passed on his love of outdoor activities to all of his kids: one of Puck's two sisters still rides horses, while her brother is a downhill mountain biker.
- Puck did her first race in the Challengers at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2024, finishing 8th. A first step towards what has now become a career. This last season, she competed in all the legs of W2RC managing to get on the podium of her last rally in Morocco.
- Busy working on the development of the brand new concept vehicle designed by KTM: the X-Bow and adapted for the Dakar by the G-Rally team, she will hope to shine even more on the upcoming Dakar but this time she’ll have Argentinean codriver Augusto Sanz at her side.
A.S.
- When in 2012, Augusto Sanz went with his father on the side of Ruta 9 just next to Buenos Aires to welcome and cheer the Dakar competitors that were finishing their adventure, little did he now that just over a decade later, he would be in the cockpit of an SSV racing the Dakar.
- Well before that, Augusto was a bike specialist competing in the Argentinean championship at the young age of 18. He slowly shifted towards a co-driver’s role still on home soil winning the navigator’s title. And then came a call from Portugal’s Ricardo Porem. The volunteer firefighter in Exaltación de la Cruz, just outside Buenos Aires was first tested out on smaller rallies before taking on the Dakar in 2023.
- Alongside Ricardo Porem, Sanz reached the finish line on both of his appearances capturing a fine 8th spot in 2024. For his last Dakar the Argentinean was asked to join the Nasser Racing team and competed alongisde Ahmed Fahad Al Kuwari with whom he finished 36th.
- For his fourth Dakar, Sanz, who is also an excellent mechanic will again have a new partner but adapting shouldn’t be a problem. He will indeed be alongside Puck Klaasen with whom he first competed in 2024 and again last October at the Rallye du Maroc.
Ambition
P.K.: “Dakar Classic was where it all started for me, finishing that race with my dad. Last year was a huge challenge, but also an incredible experience. We climbed up to P7 before an engine failure set us back. We were towed through an entire stage just to make the finish, placing inside the top 20. Even with everything that happened, I loved every second of it. It was a real ‘Dakar spirit’ experience that set us up well for the season ahead.
Last year’s route was extremely tough, and the Dakar 2026 route looks just as incredible, challenging and technical. It definitely won’t be easy, which is what makes it so exciting.
This season has been a big year of learning and development with the team. We’ve grown a lot and ended the season with our first W2RC podium and stage win, which gives us huge confidence going into Dakar 2026.
Augusto was my first co-driver in my very first rally-raid race. We’ve built a great partnership in the car, and I’m so happy to have him by my side for Dakar 2026 and the rest of the season. We’ve done a lot of races and training together, including time in Namibia, and he’s given me so much confidence behind the wheel.”
A.S.: “It went from being a hobby to being my job. Today I make a living from this and I’m very grateful, but I’m not satisfied. There is always something to learn, something new to improve. Every race teaches you something.
Last Dakar we really had to battle to finish but I still enjoyed it, helping out our team mates to manage this odyssey.
With Puck, we get along very well, we have already raced together, and teaming up with her again is really motivating.
We managed out first podium in W2RC. Let’s hope it’s the first of a long series.
My next big step would be to navigate in the ‘Ultimate’ category; that’s something I’m aiming for.”
