2025 Taklimakan Rally: International teams gear up for final stages as crew members share insights

This year's Taklimakan Rally paused for its final rest day on Thursday before entering the decisive stages in Makit County, Kashgar Prefecture, China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Crews and drivers will face the ultimate test of endurance and Sports Scene's Yuan Rui spoke with key international team members about their roles, collaboration with drivers, and experiences.

Martin Koloc, principal of the Buggyra Racing Team and a two-time European truck-racing champion from the Czech Republic, shared insights into his dual role as team leader and technical advisor for his daughter, Aliyyah Koloc, who is making her rally debut.

"I own the team, handle technical aspects, test the car for Aliyyah, and oversee all responsibilities. While I have a dedicated team, the ultimate accountability lies with me," Koloc said. "Aliyyah's twin sister is her performance engineer, so we operate like a family. I understand her driving style, which helps me fine-tune the car setup for optimal performance. She's improving every day, and we're making progress together."

Connor Jones, an engineer for Shaanxi Yunxiang Club, highlighted the synergy between driver Liu Yangui and the team's technical efforts.

"My role is to analyze data after each stage and ensure the car performs at its peak," Jones said. "Liu is an exceptional driver who maximizes the vehicle's potential. The car's performance has been strong, and he's driving it to its limits, which is exactly what we aim for."

Ian Davies, engineering director of Wuhai Speedrush Club, returned for his second Taklimakan Rally, leveraging data from last year's event to refine strategies.

"As engineering director and race engineer, I focus heavily on performance optimization," Davies said. "Having multiple cars and drivers allows us to cross-reference data and create an ideal setup. Returning to the same locations this year has been invaluable—it lets me compare 2024 and 2025 data, which has been incredibly insightful." 

As the rally enters its final sprint stages through vast dune fields, the stakes are higher than ever. Behind the scenes, crews are working to optimize both driver performance and vehicle capabilities in the ultimate test of endurance racing.