Photo: Dakar Rally official site
Sam Sunderland wins 2022 Dakar Rally
Second win for the Englishman, first time for GAS GAS
It was in 2017 when Sam Sunderland became the first British rider to win the most difficult, famous off-road race. After a few years in the KTM crew, the 32-year-old decided it’s time to try something new (well, kinda…) and sign with the GAS GAS team, the Spanish brand recently bought by Prier Mobility, KTM mother’s company. In fact, the 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA is actually a KTM 450 RALLY with a red suit.
Sunderland came close to winning the DAKAR in 2019 and 2021, finishing 3rd overall.
After 12 super intensive days ripping through the dunes of the Saudi Arabian desert, Sunderland gave GAS GAS something they never dream of – winning the 44 edition of the Dakar rally in the first year joining the team.
Only a year after Ricky Brabec gave Honda a historical Dakar win, Sunderland brought it back home. In the last 22 years, KTM riders won the Dakar 19 times.
It only took Sunderland two stages to take the lead on the 44 edition of the Dakar rally, holding it strong until stage six – finishing eighth in the last stage was enough to claim victory.
Sam Sunderland: “Wow. What a feeling! That 10-minute period waiting at the end of the final stage to see if I’d won felt like a lifetime. But this feeling, knowing I’ve won a second Dakar, will stay in my memory forever. This win feels better than the first as this victory was anything but easy. The times were so close this year and there was no time to let off the gas, it was a really close race, right to the end. All of the hard work, the sacrifices, and everything that the GASGAS team has done for me make it all worthwhile. It’s been five years since my first Dakar win, and it’s been a long time to wait! I’m super happy to get another win and claim the first one for GASGAS. Everyone on the team has worked so hard to achieve this and it’s a true team effort – together we got the job done. Amazing.”
