At the Morocco Rally the 21-year-old is protagonist in the premier T1 class at the wheel of a Revo+ V6Turbo. A sort of dress rehearsal in view of the Dakar in January which he will face with Sebastien Delaunay at the notes, between sport and solidarity. “I prefer the special stages of rallies to the track, while between Sinner or Alcaraz I choose… Jannik”
Sinner or Alcaraz? “Two phenomena, difficult to choose even if the balance tips for Jannik after his defeat in the final at Roland Garos. He’s a phenomenon. Who doesn’t love him?”, he smiles Aliyyah Koloch21 years old, professional rally driver, engaged in the special stages of Morocco Rally (in the car category Open) driving a Revo+ V6Turbo. Raised in a racing family with her father Martin Koloctwo-time European truck champion, Allyah began her career as a pro tennis athlete at the tender age of 4. A knee injury ended her career and since then she has dedicated herself to four wheels. At just 18 years old he made his debut in the most extreme race, soon challenging sacred monsters of the caliber of Carlos Sainz srthe nine-time rally champion, Sébastien LoebAnd Nasser Al–Attiyah in the premier class, the T1 Plus. Generally her father, team owner and manager, supports her from the service park, but in January he will be at her side on the track driving a Revo+ V8. This is also a record because we have never seen a father and daughter compete in the top category.
From tennis to motorsport
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Aliyyah inherited her passion for motors from her pilot father. “As a child I frequented the tennis courts more than the paddock. At 15, when I got injured, I started following my father’s team, I went to the briefings, I wanted to know everything. It was love at first sight.” She didn’t yet have a driving license when she arrived at the Dakar. “At the beginning I trained a lot with my navigator Sebastien Delaunay. I made my debut in a buggy and the following year directly in T1+. The transition was brutal. The pace is so fast that you don’t have time to think. What impressed me? The power but also the weight, which forces you to change the way you drive and especially the braking. We’re talking about a car 2 tons with 350 kilos of fuel. It was a big leap, you have to learn to speed everything up.”
A family affair
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“Who is more competitive between us? Both of us,” he confesses Martin Kolocnavigated by Italian Mirko Brun (I’m fighting for the final category podium). “The objective of this test in Morocco is to cover kilometers in preparation for the Dakar. Only in a racing situation can such a grueling race be simulated. Two cars in the race help us collect more data and accelerate the development of the car that we prepare as Buggyra Racing in collaboration with Redline. We have a good pace, but we are suffering from some reliability problems. My Revo+ V8 it’s the one with which Aliyyah raced the 2025 Dakar, while she is racing with a new V6 Turbo car, much more powerful and faster.” As a father, Martin is no longer worried since he is in the special with his daughter. “Actually for me it is much better to be in the race with her. This allows me to arrive quickly in case of a problem and find a solution. Last Dakar, however, from the satellite phone I tried to guess the situation, perhaps giving the wrong advice”. Also for Aliyyah, the father’s presence in the race is reassuring. “I got used to it quickly – she confesses – At the beginning I was a little worried not knowing where he was. Instead it’s very nice to have him on the track especially in these first stages of the Morocco Rally. We had problems and he came straight away to assist us. It’s a great comfort and it’s fun to share this experience”.
A challenge that also requires mechanical skills
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Compared to the track, the Dakar demands a complete driver and it’s nice to see how Alliyah doesn’t hold back when it comes to getting her hands dirty. “I’ve become quite good with the mechanics. Over the course of 2025, me and Seb (Delaunay) my co-driver, worked a lot on the car. Here in Morocco, we had several breakdowns. On stage 2, for example, A problem with the brakes caused me to hit a rockwhich moved the differential mount. This led us to break two axle shafts. we got to work and I can say that I really improved as a mechanic. I’m proud of the progress, even though I’d rather not need it.”
From the track to the desert
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“I ran in GT3 And GT4but I prefer off-road because it is more difficult. When you succeed, I find it more rewarding than circuits. Running the Dakar is extreme: strong emotions, a lot of pressure and the risk is also higher. So far my experience hasn’t been very successful, but we are learning a lot. My ride is much cleaner, and with that comes speed. The whole rally experience still means stepping out of your comfort zone. I love the desert because it is a challengea race into the unknown where anything can happen.
engines and solidarity
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With 1.7 million followersAliyyah does not consider herself an influencer. At parties he prefers adrenaline, speed and teamwork. “I’m more at ease in the desert than on a stage – he says – Social media is still an important platform. I’d like to pass the message on to young people my age that we need to focus on goals and pursue them.” Among the projects in which she is also involved Foundation 29from his race number. Racing but also sustainability. Despite her young age, Aliyyah is involved on a social level with important projects such as the preservation of biodiversity and the support of autistic children. “We have created a botanical garden for the preservation of biodiversity in Vanuatu in the Pacific, where I have relatives. We are also planning work with young people with autism problems.”
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