Rally Raid: Sainz before the contract with M-Sport / Rally Raid Auto

The Spaniard, who achieved his fourth Dakar victory earlier this year, is now a Free Princess after Audi decided to end its off-road activities with the RS Q e-tron. The Madrilenian returns to the X-Raid team this week for Rally-Raid Portugal, driving the Mini JCW Rally Plus with the aim of familiarizing himself with T1+, the division in which Ford’s all-new M-Sport-equipped Ranger will run.

“There was a chance to start in Portugal,” Sainz told DirtFish, “why not? It will give me new feedback from T1+ and finally if I go to Ford it will give me good information to know another car before I go to Ford. I think we are getting close to Ford and now we are discussing in depth. I think I hope we can close the deal soon.”

When asked how likely it was that he would return to an official Ford rally car for the fourth time in his career, Sainz replied: “Definitely more than 50:50. A lot. First we have to close the deal, which will hopefully happen next month. As soon as the car was ready, we would start testing.”

In the regular World Rally Championship (WRC) he participated, among others, in the Ford Escort WRC from 1996 to 1998 and the Ford Focus WRC from 2000 to 2002.

Sainz’s first competitive outing in the Ranger may have come at the Moroccan Rally in October – an event seen as a traditional preparation for next season’s Dakar.

Sainz, of course, leads the W2RC standings at round three this week in Portugal. However, he was quick to dismiss suggestions that he could be aiming for a third FIA world title in 2024.

“I will not start in Argentina,” he said, “so it will be difficult. Basically I think I can win here in Portugal and, if we win in Morocco, we will have to see what the competitors will do.”