Emotive joins the Coronel Rally Team on their tenth Dakar Rally together. As the main partner, Emotive appears on the Century CR7 T1+ in a fresh green and white livery, supporting Tim and Tom Coronel as they take on one of motorsport’s toughest challenges from 3 to 17 January 2026 in Saudi Arabia.

Official press release from the Coronel Rally Team:

HUIZEN (23 November 2025) – With the now traditional and, as always, very well-attended send-off day at the Coronel Adventure Indoor Climbing Park in Huizen in The Netherlands, Tim and Tom Coronel’s Dakar project got off to a very successful start. ‘It’s great to see all these people, Dakar really is hugely popular,’ says Tim Coronel, who will embark on his twentieth Dakar participation in January. ‘I’m really looking forward to it again. The presentation and send-off day always make me even more excited,’ adds his twin brother Tom Coronel. For Tim and Tom Coronel, this will be their tenth joint participation in the gruelling rally, which will be held in Saudi Arabia for the sixth consecutive year from 3 to 17 January 2026.

Tim and Tom Coronel will once again be competing in the Century CR7 T1+, which has been improved in a number of areas compared to the version used last January. ‘In fact, you’re never done developing,’ explains Tim Coronel. ‘During the rally, you always come across things that could be done differently and better, whether it’s related to the handling while driving or ways to make maintenance or repairs more efficient. What’s more, there are now 25 of these cars competing in rallies worldwide, so both the factory and ourselves have learned a great deal from that. With a Coronel twist, it’s bound to be a success!’

A striking example of an improvement that has been implemented is the alternator: ‘Last year, it took 3.5 hours to change the alternator, but now we've made it so that it can be done in just ten minutes,’ says Tom Coronel. Another important change is an adjustment to the drivetrain, which now drives all four wheels when reversing, which is a big advantage when manoeuvring in difficult situations.again!’

Emotive as main partner provides new colour scheme

‘Millions of people want to do this, and we actually get to do this,’ Tim Coronel realises on the eve of his twentieth Dakar participation. ‘Indeed, since 2007.’ There is one change that really catches the eye, however, as the blue colour of the competition car from previous years has now been replaced by a green and white colour scheme. ‘Nice and rebellious, Coronel style,’ as Tim puts it. The new colour scheme is thanks to the arrival of Emotive as the new main partner. ‘Emotive’s dynamic approach and commitment to high-performing automotive solutions align perfectly with our preparation and competitive mindset. This collaboration strengthens our mission to deliver results on and off the track,’ the Coronel brothers say. Martin Conrad, Chief Executive Officer Emotive, underlines: ‘Dakar pushes drivers and vehicles to their absolute limits. It is a place where every part is expected to withstand heat, dust, vibration, and long days of relentless impact. At Emotive, we hold our parts to the same expectation of unwavering reliability, and this shared goal is what brings us together with the Coronel Rally Team.’

Tim and Tom Coronel are looking forward to their tenth joint participation in the famous rally. ‘We simply have the best combination. I've known Tim for nine months longer than the rest of planet Earth,’ laughs Tom. ‘We've each found our own role in the project, although I still hope to be able to drive a stage myself one day, but ultimately the division of roles with Tim as driver and me as navigator is clear. That has proven to be the best setup.’

‘Roadside assistance for the top teams’

In recent years, the Coronel brothers have built up a good reputation with other teams. ‘We are now known as the sub-top teams who always stop to help when the top teams get into trouble,’ says Tom. ‘We're a bit like automobile club with roadside assistance for the top teams, haha!’

The 2026 Dakar Rally starts on 3 January in Yanbu. There will be a rest day on 10 January, and the event will finish in Yanbu again on 17 January. With the prologue and 13 stages, a total of 7,994 kilometres will be covered, 4,880 of which will be special stages. This is the longest distance to date since the event has been held in Saudi Arabia. The schedule comprises two marathon stages, stages 4/5 and 9/10. The tenth stage, covering 300 kilometres through the dunes, is the longest of the 2026 Dakar Rally. This year there are fewer different bivouacs, which means less travelling for the mechanics, but the challenge for the drivers remains as great as ever. The second stage will be the first to pass through the dunes, while the sixth stage on the day before the rest day will be particularly tough. The organisers even assume that not everyone will be able to complete this stage in one day, so the finish at the bivouac in Riyadh will remain open until 2 p.m. the following day. ‘It's a shame that the “empty quarter” is not part of the route this year, because that's really the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced in the rally,’ says Tom Coronel. ‘But of course there are still plenty of beautiful things to see!’

Reports on RTL7 and daily podcast in English and Dutch

As in previous years, Tom Coronel will once again be active as a reporter for the daily broadcasts on Dutch TV channel RTL7. In addition, there will be a daily podcast in which Tim and Tom Coronel, in conversation with Etienne Verhoeff, will report on their experiences during the event. The podcast, which this time will be produced in English as well as Dutch, will be available on Spotify, Apple Music and other popular podcast platforms.

The brothers want to capitalise on the experiences of previous years. ‘You get smarter and smarter throughout the whole project,’ says Tom. ‘You know it's not a race, it's about endurance, encountering as few problems as possible, but at the same time I always have to push Tim a little bit to keep up the pace. I remember from last time that tyre pressure was very important, and we managed to find the “sweet spot”. We also have that confidence in each other, so hopefully we'll bring this Dakar adventure that we undertake every year to a successful conclusion again!’