Unstoppable since the season opener, Daniel Sanders has become the first RallyGP rider to claim three consecutive wins.
After the Dakar and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, "Chucky" has dominated the South African Safari Rally, smashing records along the way: most RallyGP wins (19) and most specials won in a single season (11). With Luciano Benavides finishing second (+8′55″), KTM secured their first one-two finish since the 2023 Dakar. Ricky Brabec rounded out the podium (+10′00″), just ahead of his Honda teammate Adrien Van Beveren (+15′47″). The American's stage win on Saturday, the tenth of his career, allowed him to bump the Frenchman from the top 3. Bradley Cox, the top-ranked South African, placed his brand-new Sherco eighth. Sanders, the RallyGP championship leader, is now 35 points clear of his closest pursuers, Benavides and Brabec. While the Australian has carved out a solid lead, the fight for the remaining podium spots is wide open: just 7 points separate Benavides (53 points), Brabec (53 points), Adrien Van Beveren (48 points) and Tosha Schareina (46 points) between second and fifth place. KTM sit 22 points ahead of Honda in the manufacturers' ranking.
RALLY 2: More Hero-ics from Ebster as Canet achieves redemption
The Dakar winner, Edgar Canet, was unable to finish in Abu Dhabi due to a crash. The Spanish rising star has redeemed himself by claiming victory in South Africa ahead of Tobias Ebster (+15′24″), who opened Hero's account in Rally2, and Michael Docherty on his KTM BAS World (+23′35″). Sixth, the Frenchman Florian Bancilhon took top honours in the class for the courageous riders competing without service crews (malles moto). Suspense with a capital S in the championship: Ebster hung on to the lead by the skin of his teeth as Canet slashed his deficit to 3 points and Docherty cut his to 8. It is all to play for!
QUADS: Martinez and CFMoto have got the power
Leading from start to finish this week, the Frenchman Gaëtan Martinez nabbed the final stage and the overall ahead of his teammate Antanas Kanopkinas. The two CFMoto riders took every special between them and stand tall at the summit of the championship with 45 points apiece. The South African Carien Teessen came in third in the rally.
FIM World Rally-Raid Championship: 1. Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) : 88 pts; 2. Luciano Benavides (Monster Energy Honda HRC) : 53 pts (-35); 3. Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda HRC) : 53 pts (-35).
FIM Rally-Raid Rally2 Drivers' World Cup: 1. Tobias Ebster (Hero MotoSports) : 66 pts; 2. Edgar Canet (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) : 63 pts (-3); 3. Michael Docherty (BAS World KTM Team) : 58 pts (-8).
FIM Rally-Raid Quad Drivers' World Cup: 1. Gaëtan Martinez (CFMoto Thunder Racing) : 45 pts; 2. Antanas Kanopkinas (CFMoto Thunder Racing) : 45 (=); 3. Marek Loj (Poland National Team) : 16 pts (-29).
FIM World Rally-Raid Manufacturers' Championship: 1. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing : 141 pts; 2. Monster Energy Honda HRC : 119 pts (-22); 3. Hero MotoSports Team Rally : 42 pts (-99).
FIM Rally-Raid Rally2 Teams' World Cup: 1. BAS World KTM Team : 77 pts; 2. Xraids Experience : 47 pts (-30); 3. SRG Motorsports : 41 pts (-36).