It is not often that Slovak televisions cover the topic of motorsports. Nevertheless, the Markíza TV channel was occupied today by a pair who will represent Slovakia at the Eco Africa Race 2026 in a few days.
Driver Martin Benko and co-driver Marek Sýkora completed several long-distance competitions together in the 2025 season and did well. Now the Eco Africa Race 2026 awaits them. The course of this competition essentially copies the course of the former Dakar competition. The 17th year of this competition will start on January 25, 2026 in the city of Tangier in Morocco. From this iconic city, the competitors will then set off to conquer the route through Morocco, Mauritania to the mythical lake Lac Rose (Pink Lake) in Senegal, where the competition will finish on February 7, 2026. The entire course of the two-week African competition will be more than six thousand kilometers long.
Slovakia will be represented in the Eco Africa Race 2026 by the crew of the Taurus T3 Maxi vehicle, Martin Benko – Marek Sýkora and Norwit Racing. This pair started their journey “dirtily” today (January 20, 2026) on Markíza television, specifically in the Teleráno program, where they were interviewed by a pair of presenters.
“I am glad that we were able to “start” our competition in such an elegant way. Even though the real start awaits us only on Sunday (January 25, 2026) in Tangier, Morocco. I am pleased that together with Marek we can participate in this competition and represent Slovakia in it. Marek is the world champion in cross country competitions and I am glad that I am starting with him and I fully trust him as a co-driver. We know that we are facing a tough competition, but we are ready to fight it out to the finish line at the literally iconic Pink Lake, where the Dakar Rally used to end in the past,” said Martin Benko.
Co-driver Marek Sýkora will not be staying at home, in Slovakia, for long these days. The reason is that last Saturday he finished the just-concluded Dakar Rally 2026 in Saudi Arabia together with Czech Miroslav Zapletal.
“This year’s Dakar was really tough, but that’s in the past and now we need to fully focus on Africa. Martin and I have already competed in several competitions together, so I know exactly what we are getting into. I am really looking forward to the Eco Africa Race, because I will be returning to my original places where I started in the past as part of the Dakar. It will be tough, but I am looking forward to it,” added Marek Sýkora.
Martin Benko and Marek Sýkora, together with the Norwit Racing Team, will fly to the competition, held perfectly in accordance with the values of the African ecological race, where openness, courage, determination and pushing one’s own boundaries reign, on Thursday (January 22, 2026). We will keep you informed about how they will do during the Eco Africa Race 2026.