After the Dakar Rally, Erik van Loon announced his focus on the FIA World Baja Cup in 2025, a challenging championship featuring eight events spread across Europe and the Middle East. Erik will compete with a Can-Am Maverick, built by the South Racing team, in the SSV class. The first rally takes place from January 30 to February 1 in Saudi Arabia, where he will be navigated by Wouter Rosegaar.
Erik and Wouter last raced together in 2019. “That was during the Morocco Desert Challenge in a Toyota Hilux. Before that, we spent many years racing together and, in 2015, we made history by finishing fourth in the Dakar Rally. I’m curious to see how it will go after not racing together for a few years. We’re aiming for a strong result and going for the win.”
They will race with the car Erik extensively tested in 2024. “Last year, I did a lot of testing for South Racing with the Can-Am Maverick R, so it was a logical choice for me to compete in the World Championship with this car. It’s an excellent, fast vehicle, and driving it through the desert is amazing. During the Dakar, this car won 10 stages, so speed won’t be an issue.”

The championship kicks off in Saudi Arabia with a rally around Hail. “I’ve raced this Baja several times before, and it’s a beautiful and diverse area with lots of rocks and sand . Two weeks ago, during the Dakar, we were also in that region. I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get back on track.”
The championship will then move on to Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Qatar, and Dubai. “These are all great rallies. Greece is new for me, and Portugal was a long time ago, so I’m looking forward to that. I won in Italy in 2023, so I hope we can achieve that again this year. It’s a challenging calendar with a lot of variety. Over the course of the season, we might also compete in some additional rallies, like the MDC and hopefully with the Subaru WRC as well. But the main focus is on the World Championship.”
The Saudi Arabia Baja begins on Thursday, January 30, with a prologue and the ceremonial start. This will be followed by two days of stages in the area around Hail. In total, approximately 400 kilometers of timed stages will be covered. For more information during the rally, visit https://www.saudi-championship.com/t-en/saudi-baja-25.