• Roger Grouwels secures first Dakar finish upon third attempt
• Collaboration with new navigator Rudolf Meijer pays dividends
• Consistent, largely trouble-free run results in top-ten finish in SSV class.

Maastricht, 20 January 2024 - Team RaceArt and Roger Grouwels have successfully completed the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally. After two previous attempts ended in premature exits from the world’s toughest desert rally, Grouwels reached the finish line with an impressive eighth place in the SSV class.

Grouwels, an accomplished circuit racer turned enthusiastic rally competitor, welcomed a new navigator for this year’s Dakar, teaming up with the experienced Rudolf Meijer. Together, the pairing would face a daunting challenge: tackling over 7,000 kilometers of Saudi Arabian desert driving across twelve grueling stages.

In order to accomplish the task, Grouwels and Meijer would compete behind the wheel of a Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR entered into the SSV class. The entry would be operated as part of a joint venture between RaceArt and offroad specialists QFF Racing - a repeat of last year’s rally. The goal was clear: reach the finish line and get as close to the top ten in class as possible.

From the off, Grouwels and Meijer adopted an approach that favored consistency over outright speed. This would slowly but surely pay dividends as the rally progressed. Where many other competitors faced crashes or significant mechanical troubles, car #430 steadily but surely climbed up the order in the overall standings, overcoming only relatively minor issues along the way.

In the process, the all-Dutch duo faced a series of daunting challenges, including the return of the 48H Chrono stage that covered over a thousand kilometers. To add to the challenge, Grouwels and Meijer would need to camp in the desert in one of the small bivouacs spread out across the desert. However, they passed this test with flying colors and by the time Stage 4 had been completed, the duo first entered the top ten in the overall SSV rankings.

It was a position they would not relinquish for the remainder of the rally, reaching the finish line in Shubaytah with 72 hours, 43 minutes and 31 seconds on the clock. Throughout the twelve stages, the smooth collaboration between driver and navigator served as a key strength, having not missed a single waypoint across the entire rally.

Last but not least, the result in Saudi Arabia served as a major personal milestone for Grouwels, who had previously not managed to reach the finish line in the world’s toughest desert rally.