The Adventure Most People Only Dream About: Your Seat in a Dakar Truck
- Sven Syfrig
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Somewhere in northern Germany there is a rally truck called Siggi. Next January it will roll across the start line of the Dakar Classic 2027 with two friends in the cab who once knew nothing about rally raid at all.
There is a third seat in that truck. Right now it is empty. SG Racing Nordheide are offering one person the chance at one of the biggest adventures motorsport has to give.
Not a seat in a service van. Not a hospitality pass. A real seat in the racing truck, for the whole rally, next to Stefan Gehrmann and Sebastian Gatz.
We have spent a lot of hours under that truck, so allow us to say it plainly: this is one of the most generous things we have seen anyone in this sport do.
Two Friends, One Google Search, One Podium
The story starts about as unglamorously as a Dakar story can.
Two friends typed "rally for beginners" into Google and started reading. That is genuinely how SG Racing Nordheide began. No family fortune, no factory contract, no motorsport dynasty. Just curiosity and a search bar.
What came next was not a shortcut. They learned on smaller events, ground their way through the Hellas Rally, made mistakes, fixed them, and kept going until they found themselves on the entry list for the Dakar. Then, at their very first Dakar Classic, they finished second in the truck category. Against people who had been doing this for years.
Second place at the first attempt is the kind of result that usually takes a decade. They did it with ambition, a lot of preparation and a truck they know down to the last bolt.
And now, instead of guarding that hard won place at the top, they are making it possible for someone to take part in the Dakar Classic in a real racing truck.
The Night Siggi Almost Stopped
There are nights on the Dakar you do not forget. This is one of ours.
Towards the end of the Dakar Classic 2026 the leaf springs on Siggi broke. Not one of them, but several, and all on the same day. On a truck that heavy, in that terrain, it is the kind of damage that makes a bivouac go quiet, because everyone standing there knows what it normally means.
Stefan and Sebastian were on course for the podium. They had earned that position over thousands of kilometres, and it was about to disappear because of a piece of steel.
We did not simply reach for the welder. First the team sat down together and worked out a solution that would hold not just through the night but through the rest of the rally. We drew up the reinforcements before a single spark flew.
Then came the work. We took the entire spring pack off the truck and repaired the breaks with precise welding. At the same time we built a structure from steel we carry with us as a service team, designed to support and strengthen the spring pack.
That night stretched a long way. Desert nights are properly cold, and a dismantled spring pack forgives nothing. The light, at least, was not the problem: thanks to our lighting partner NORDRIDE we work in a properly lit camp even in the middle of the night. At some point you still stop counting the hours, because counting does not help. Everyone had the same picture in their head: Siggi on the start line in the morning, or not there at all.
In the morning Siggi was on the start line. It finished the rally. Stefan and Sebastian took second place.
Let us be clear about who did what. The podium was driven by the two of them, over two weeks, in a truck that punished every mistake. Our job is simply to make sure the racing truck stands at the start of every stage in perfect condition. We are proud to do that work in the background, so that our clients get to live the Dakar for themselves.
That is exactly what our motto stands for: Driven by Team Spirit, Committed to Excellence.
What the Third Seat Really Means
Under the Dakar Classic rules, a truck crew can be two or three people: a driver, a co driver and, if the team wants, a third crew member. That is what makes this possible, and it is why the seat is a real one.
So this is not a photo opportunity. You would be in the cab while it happens. The early starts and the late repairs. The briefings. The dust that gets into everything you own. The stage that goes perfectly and the one that goes wrong. The bivouac at night, which is the part nobody outside the rally ever gets to see.
For context, the Dakar Classic 2027 runs from 30 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, thirteen stages, starting and finishing at King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia. It is a regularity event rather than a flat out race, so the winner is the crew with the fewest penalty points, not the fastest time. That does not make it easy. It is still thousands of kilometres of desert in a vehicle old enough to have a personality.
Fire Rather Than Expertise
Here is the part that surprises people. SG Racing are not looking for a racing driver.
Their own words are "fire rather than expertise". What they want is someone with genuine passion, a community of their own, and the willingness to tell the story honestly while it is happening. They want the adventure to travel outward, not stay locked inside the team.
The practical requirements are straightforward. You need to be at least 18. You need a valid passport or ID card. You need to be fit enough for several days of hard driving off road. You need to be up for the preparation as well as the rally itself, so training and test drives, not just an airport transfer in December. And you need enough German to work inside the crew.
One thing worth understanding, and we think it is good news: this is not a prize draw. Nobody pulls a name out of a hat. Stefan and Sebastian read every application themselves and get in touch with the people on their shortlist. Your application actually decides this, which means the effort you put into it is not wasted.
Before You Hit Send
A few practical things, so you go in with your eyes open and your application in good shape.
Write the motivation section properly. There is a minimum length on that field for a reason, and it is the part they will read most carefully. Tell them who you are and why this particular adventure matters to you, in your own voice. Do not write what you imagine a rally team wants to hear, because they will spot it immediately.
Think about the physical side honestly. Multiple days in a rally truck in the desert are hard on a body. That is part of the appeal, but it helps to be realistic with yourself before you commit.
And treat the details as a conversation. SG Racing confirm the specifics of travel, accommodation, equipment and any personal contribution in writing with the person they select, and there is insurance and a liability waiver to sort out, as there is for anyone competing. If you reach the shortlist, that is the moment to ask everything openly. Good teams like good questions.
How to Apply
Applications run through the form on the SG Racing site, and only through that form. One per person.
Apply here: sg-racing.de/dritter-sitz
You can follow Stefan, Sebastian and Siggi on the road to 2027 on Instagram at sg_racing_nordheide, and questions about the campaign go to dakar@sg-racing.de.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the third seat a prize draw?
No. It is an application process. Stefan and Sebastian choose the person themselves, based on motivation, personality, reach and how well someone fits the crew. There is no automatic entitlement to be selected and their decision is final.
Do I need rally experience?
No. SG Racing are clear that they are not looking for a racing driver. They are looking for passion, team spirit and someone who will share the experience honestly. You do need to be 18 or over, fit enough for several days off road, and able to communicate in German.
What does a third seat in a Dakar Classic truck involve?
Truck crews in the Dakar Classic can be two or three people. The third seat is a genuine place in the racing truck alongside the driver and co driver, for the whole rally, including the preparation beforehand and the bivouac every night.
What does it cost?
SG Racing have not published a figure. They confirm the exact services, covering travel, accommodation and equipment, along with any personal contribution, in writing with the selected candidate. Ask them directly if you reach the shortlist.
When is the Dakar Classic 2027?
From 30 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, over thirteen stages, starting and finishing at King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia.
TimeOut Racing supported SG Racing Nordheide at the Dakar Classic 2026, leaf springs and all. We will be watching for Siggi on the 2027 entry list, and we hope whoever takes that third seat has the time of their life. If you are planning your own Dakar Classic entry, come and talk to us.
Comments