After completing the Dakar rally, Aliyyah Koloc will continue to tackle both off-road racing and GT endurance racing with a multiple program in 2024 that includes W2RC, FIA Middle East Baja Championship and 24H Series.
Aliyyah Koloc is one of the young racing drivers with the most diverse racing backgrounds - and she will continue to progress in her career in different motorsport disciplines throughout 2024: she is in fact set to contest a double program, both in off-road racing and in endurance circuit racing.
Despite her young age, the 19 year old driver has already collected valuable experience in prestigious rally raid events - such as the Dakar, which she completed this year - and in GT racing; as part of the Buggyra ZM Racing, she in fact raced in FFSA GT4 in 2022 as well as in 24H Series in 2023, where she contested her first 12 hour races.
In 2024, Koloc will cover 11,000 racing kilometers throughout her busy schedule, with 14 races planned between W2RC, FIA Middle East Baja Championship and 24H Series.
“After a successful start at the Dakar Rally, where Aliyyah finished 25th overall in the Ultimate category, she will continue off-road racing behind the wheel of her Red-Lined car", explained Buggyra team boss Martin Koloc. "The more racing kilometers she gets under her belt, the better she will get to grips with the car, which should improve her results."
The Dubai-based driver will kick-off her racing season from the Middle East - the Hail Rally as well as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge - before she'll make her first start in GT4 at the Mugello 12 hours in March.
"Starting in the Middle East championship is an important preparation for the next Dakar, as this is the kind of terrain the event is run on" - Martin Koloc continued. "And then there are the circuits where Aliyyah has also already established herself as a very good racer. She has an extremely busy season ahead of her, but just participating in the races will bring further career growth."
Koloc will enter the full FIA W2RC series for the first time. Despite being a rookie in the Ultimate class, Aliyyah currently sits 12th in the world championship standings after the Dakar Rally. The series is designed as the top long-distance rally raid competition and its rounds include the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the BP Ultimate Rally Raid (Portugal), the Desafio Ruta (Argentina), Rally du Maroc (Morocco).
Alongside Adam Lacko and David Vršecký, Aliyyah Koloc had a brilliant season in the Creventic 24H Series: after a class victory in the 6H of Abu Dhabi that wrapped up the Middle East Trophy, the Buggyra trio were second at the 12H of Mugello - then took class honors at the 12H of Spa Francorchamps and third at Monza. They would complete the season with two second places at the &h Qualifying race and 12H race at Estoril - eventually securing the runner up place in the GT4 class.
Together with the same crew, Aliyyah is now determined to do even better in 2024, as she returns behind the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the GT4 class.
“It’s not easy to alternate between off-road rallying and circuits, but I am getting used to it." - Aliyyah said. "It becomes easier each time to quickly switch and adapt to a very different car that I’m about to race in. It is all a matter of not transferring bad habits from the terrain to the circuits and vice versa,” she concluded.
The Hail International Rally, also held in Saudi Arabia like the most recent Dakar rally, will be her next racing commitment after the big legendary race that opened the calendar year.