Motor Sports

With M-Sport’s new Ford Raptor T1+ not set to race until August, Nani Roma will drive its predecessor Ford Ranger at the Baja Aragón in place of the injured Daniel Alonso.

McLaren set the pace in the second practice of the weekend, as Max Verstappen is set to take a grid penalty for the race.

Michel Hardy, who raced the inaugural Paris–Dakar Rally in 1979 before being a pioneer of Tatra’s rally raid excursions in the late 1980s, died 10 July at the age of 68.

Max Verstappen dominates Free Practice One, but Alex Albon raises eyebrows with his great lap to go third quickest.

With KAMAZ-master still blocked from the Dakar Rally, boss Eduard Nikolaev stressed they’re still open and prepared should it be lifted. In the meantime, he feels the Silk Way can be a Dakar-level rally.