Mario Franco: “Dakar, as the world’s biggest motor race, always has to offer some surprises and challenges different from usual” – The Checkered Flag

After a solid maiden Dakar Rally in 2022, Mário Franco will return to the race in 2024, driving the #317 Yamaha YXZ1000R for his Franco Sport team in the Challenger (formerly T3) class. Daniel Jordão, who has rally experience on two wheels but is relatively new to four-wheeled competition, will be his co-driver.

Franco entered his first Dakar in 2022 with a successful background in SSV Racing, winning the 2018 Portuguese Cross-Country Championship in the corresponding category before competing in the Rallye du Maroc twice. He founded Franco Sport in 2016 and has a partnership with Yamaha’s Portuguese and European divisions; the latter operates the Yamaha Cup spec series, which Franco has won thrice.

With his brother Rui by his side, Franco finished thirteenth overall in T3 at the 2022 Dakar. He ran as high as sixth after four stages before a series of stage retirements and other setbacks dropped him outside the top ten. While he did not return to Dakar for 2023, he continued to race in the CPTT and Yamaha Cup throughout 2022 and 2023, including winning a stage at the 2022 Rallye du Maroc and assisting in developing the YXZ1000R Prototype.

“I am very happy to be able to return to the Dakar two years after my début,” said Franco. “I know that we will face an even more demanding race than in 2022 and we will face very strong competition in the Challenger class. The Dakar, as the world’s biggest motor race, always has to offer us some surprises and difficulties that are different from usual. In addition to the extensive mileage, this edition will have a forty-eight-hour stage which we will have to ‘manage’ with our own means and without the possibility of contacting anyone.

“It is always difficult to aim for a classification goal, especially since we know the competition in the Challenger category is very strong. The primary goal is to finish the Dakar, but we will try to go fast and be competitive despite not being the most experienced in the race. I’m heading for my second Dakar, and Daniel will be in a race of this magnitude for the first time.

“It’s an absolute début in the Dakar. We are aware of the difficulties but very motivated for a fantastic challenge.”

Jordão also races in the CPTT and other rallies, albeit usually on a bike, and won the 2019 CPTT title. In October, he ran his first race as a navigator when he worked with William Buller at the Rallye du Maroc, finishing eighteenth in T3. The Franco brothers placed six spots back.

The 2024 Dakar Rally begins on 5 January. Franco and Jordão’s #317 are one of four Yamahas entered, with the other three being fielded by ally X-raid Team. While the Challenger class is usually dominated by Can-Am and MCE-5, Yamaha won two stages in 2023 including a podium sweep in Stage #11.