Their wins are the result of their riding skills and inner strength. Their scars are a sign that their motivation to win outweighs their fears. Their tattoos are reminders of their teenage rebellions and deepest passions. Their body art is the ultimate proof that pain is nothing to endure when you decide to bleed for love. Translated into words, their ink says Life is fragile, we are not.
The Dakar Rally is not a race where you can be complacent. Despite 17 consecutive wins for the KTM Factory Racing Team, each member of staff involved in the rally program is meticulous in the preparation for one of the toughest and most famous races in the world.
There are not many things more READY TO RACE than the KTM 450 RALLY REPLICA and this dune-eating, rally-bashing, Dakar-loving race machine has been re-designed from the ground up. Almost identical to the KTM 450 RALLY factory bike that took KTM to its 17th consecutive Dakar victory earlier this year with Matthias Walkner, this bike is the ultimate machine for those racing in rally competition.
The incredibly tough Dakar Rally is definitely the highlight and most prestigious race in the calendar for the Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Racing Team. However, the work never ceases; not only does the team race selected rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, testing and development continues right the way through the year.
You’d be forgiven for having not heard of the Segrave Trophy, especially those who live outside of the UK. But take a closer look at the award and the list of previous winners reads like a who’s who of the British motorsport world.
Just months after a disappointed Sam Sunderland crashed out of the Dakar Rally, the British-ace is back on the podium with a runner-up spot in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
As we reach the well-earned rest day of Dakar 2018, it can certainly be said that this year’s route so far has been one of the toughest. From the start in Lima, Peru to today’s rest day in La Paz, Bolivia, the competitors have passed through days of desert and will now head into the mountains, racing at an altitude of over 2,500 meters.
KTM has enjoyed no fewer than 16 consecutive Rally Dakar victories. Even since 2011, when rules changed and engine sizes were reduced to a maximum of 450cc in an effort to bring other manufacturers into the event, KTM have won every single race. With an all-new bike for 2018, KTM once again take to the start well-prepared, well-motivated and hoping to take win number 17 …
Winner of the 2017 Rally Dakar, Sam Sunderland has had a mixed season in this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. A title contender right up to the final round in Morocco, Sunderland endured a series of minor injuries and bad luck that eventually ruled him out of the running. Despite this, his pace throughout the year has been hugely impressive, with wins at the opening two rounds in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Sam heads into the 2018 Dakar as the man to beat.
Mountainous sand dunes. Extreme altitude. Unpredictable weather. Punishing distances. The 2018 Dakar route looks set to be the toughest ever.
