Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s three-man team of Kevin Benavides, Luciano Benavides, and Daniel Sanders are all set to take on the 2025 Dakar Rally in the RallyGP class. After a strong program of testing and training, the experienced trio are raring to go ahead of the world’s toughest rally-raid. Starting January 3, the event will commence with a short prologue, after which competitors will tackle 12 stages spanning nearly 8,000 km across Saudi Arabia.
Heading into the 2025 edition as a two-time Dakar champion, Kevin Benavides is fully focused on success. The Argentinian endured a difficult 2024 season, with injuries leaving him sidelined from competition for most of the year. However, after an intense program of training and recovery, Kevin aims to be as fit as possible for the upcoming Dakar as he hopes to claim a third win at the iconic event.
Kevin Benavides: “My preparation and training has been really positive, as I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym and cycling and I have prioritized recovery too. Combining that with time on my bike has worked well, and I’m feeling ready to go! Ahead of Dakar, I don’t have many expectations because I like to surprise myself every day, but the fight to win is now greater than ever, that’s for sure. I will give 100% every day and see where we go from there. Over the past two years I have learned the importance of keeping myself fit and riding smart to avoid injuries, because I want to keep doing what I love for as long as possible. I’m really excited to race with this amazing team and people, especially alongside Luciano, and I can’t wait to get going in January!”
Fresh off a solid third place result at the Rallye du Maroc, his first outing back riding the KTM 450 RALLY, Luciano Benavides is fired-up and ready to tackle the 2025 Dakar Rally. Despite suffering a leg injury in June, Luciano has worked hard to bounce back and prepare for Dakar as best as possible. As the 2023 FIM Rally-Raid World Champion and a multiple Dakar stage winner, the Argentinian has a wealth of experience to draw on to achieve his goal of finishing on the top step of the podium.
Luciano Benavides: “Testing went really well, and I’m feeling ready for the big one! I’ve been super busy preparing and training for Dakar with a lot of bike time in the desert in Argentina, Chile, and America, as well as a lot of cycling. My first goal for this Dakar is to arrive feeling 100%, because then I know I can perform at the top. It’s a long race, so we have to take it day by day, but I want to be competitive throughout. From my experience of previous Dakars, I know that you have to be able to bounce back from any bad days, stay focused and remember the ultimate goal, which is to win. Heading into the 2025 Dakar, I feel great and have put so much work in both mentally and physically to be up for it. It’s going to be a great race, and I can’t wait to get to Saudi and get started!”
Fired-up from his recent victory at the Rally du Maroc, Daniel Sanders is keen to carry his momentum into the 2025 Dakar Rally. As a stage winner at previous Dakars, the Australian is determined to push hard from the start. Having finished eighth in the last edition, Daniel is focused on building on his strong form and achieving a top result in Saudi Arabia in January.
Daniel Sanders: “We had some really great training as a team in America, with a lot of roadbook work over pretty demanding terrain to get us ready for Dakar. I feel even more comfortable on the bike since Morocco, and physically I’m feeling fit and strong too. The team have put in a lot of hard work to get the bike completely dialed in and I’ve spent a lot of hours on it testing and making sure it’s perfect. I think I have a really good chance of getting on the podium this year at Dakar, but of course you have to take it day by day. The first week looks tough and quite intense with both the chrono and marathon stages, but I am really looking forward to it. I’m more determined than ever to put KTM back on the top step, so my win in Morocco was a huge confidence boost in that sense. I can’t wait to get to Saudi and start the new year with a bang!”
For its 47th edition, this year’s Dakar Rally will be hosted in the Middle East for the sixth consecutive year. Setting off on January 3 from Bisha, riders will face a short, timed prologue, which will set the tone for the following 12 stages in the Saudi Arabian desert. Competitors will cover nearly 8,000 km, with 5,000 km raced against the clock in timed special stages. In an exciting twist for 2025, the race will feature the grueling 48-hour chrono stage on days two and three, followed almost instantly by the marathon stage, leaving competitors little time to catch their breath. A rest day in Ha’il on January 10 will be welcomed by all, with seven stages through the Empty Quarter then standing between the riders and the finish in Shubaytah on January 17.
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “Now we’re ready to race the 2025 Dakar! We have a really strong team, especially after Daniel’s win in Morocco, which proved that we have what it takes to be back on the podium. Daniel and Luciano have been training hard and are super motivated, and Kevin is a fighter so even though it will be tough, we have every faith that all three of them can perform. We can’t wait to get started!”