MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • M-Sport Ford Unfulfilled on Rally Finland
  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
  • Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner
  • Lost In Time! Fantastic Maiden Junior British Rally Championship Victory for Kyle & Sean
  • King of the Mk2 returns for 2022 Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally 
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

KTMs Sam Sunderland fastest on Day 1 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

Mar 31, 2019


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet
SUNDERLAND FASTEST ON STAGE ONE OF 2019 ABU DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team got their 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship campaign off to an excellent start with a win on stage one of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Sam Sunderland posted the fastest time with teammate Luciano Benavides coming home in fourth.
The opening day of the 2019 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge saw riders cover a total of 370.86 kilometres as they left the famous Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi to head south, through the desert towards the bivouac at the Qasr Al Sarab resort. The strong winds and sandstorm that greeted riders at the start of the 261.97-kilometre timed special only added to the challenge of the stage.

Feeling fit and motivated following his Dakar Rally podium success earlier in the year, Sam Sunderland unquestionably comes into the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as one of the favourites. Despite being the 10th rider away from the start of the timed special, the Brit soon found himself at the front, leading the way through the dunes. First to reach the finish, Sam now tops the provisional standings by over six minutes from second-placed Andrew Short.

Sam Sunderland: “I’m always a bit nervous to start a new championship, but myself and the team did some really good work in Morocco a few weeks ago and as such I felt really strong in the dunes here in Abu Dhabi. The conditions were really difficult today with the high winds and bad visibility. I pushed really hard right from the start and ended up opening from around kilometre 60. From there I just kept to a good pace and thankfully everything went well. Looking forward to tomorrow now.”

Forced to miss the 2018 event due to injury sustained in the Dakar Rally that year, Luciano Benavides put in an excellent performance on his first ever Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge stage to finish as fourth fastest. Still learning and gaining experience wherever he can, the young Argentinian currently sits over five minutes ahead of the fifth-placed rider going into Monday’s stage two.

Luciano Benavides: “That was a good day for me today – I learnt a lot about this desert as it is my first time here. I am happy to complete the first stage and overall, I am happy with my result, especially as I opened around 30-40 kilometres for the first time. I am pleased with my riding and will try to keep going like this and finish the race in a good position.”

Stage two of the 2019 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will cover 434.19km in total, of which 222.80km will be timed special stage in the dunes of the United Arab Emirates.

Provisional Results Stage One – 2019 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 3:40:41
2. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 3:46:50 +6:09
3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (CHL), Honda, 3:47:27 +6:46
4. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:49:48 +9:07
5. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 3:55:08 +14:27
Other KTM
8. Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE), KTM, 4:23:30 +42:49
9. David McBride (GBR), KTM, 4:41:47 +1:01:06
10. Mohammed Meshari Jaffar (KWT), KTM, 4:44:56 +1:04:15


  • tweet
Related articles
  • M-Sport Ford Unfulfilled on Rally Finland
    M-Sport Ford Unfulfilled on Rally...

    Aug 07, 2022 Comments Off on M-Sport Ford Unfulfilled on Rally Finland

  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
    Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to...

    Aug 07, 2022 Comments Off on Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec

  • Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner
    Price on becoming Chip Ganassi...

    Aug 07, 2022 Comments Off on Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner

  • Lost In Time! Fantastic Maiden Junior British Rally Championship Victory for Kyle & Sean
    Lost In Time! Fantastic Maiden Junior...

    Aug 07, 2022 Comments Off on Lost In Time! Fantastic Maiden Junior British Rally Championship Victory for Kyle & Sean

More in this category
  • Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner
    Price on becoming Chip Ganassi...

    Comments Off on Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner

  • Spotlighting XITE ENERGY
    Spotlighting XITE ENERGY

    Comments Off on Spotlighting XITE ENERGY

  • Polaris continues its partnership with Xtremeplus team ahead of Dakar 2023
    Polaris continues its partnership with...

    Comments Off on Polaris continues its partnership with Xtremeplus team ahead of Dakar 2023

  • Toyota Hilux 1-2-3 at Baja Spain Aragón – Orr navigates to second
    Toyota Hilux 1-2-3 at Baja Spain...

    Comments Off on Toyota Hilux 1-2-3 at Baja Spain Aragón – Orr navigates to second


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
    Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec

    Aug 07, 2022

    Tweet The Goodyear FIA ETRC, ETRA Promotion and the entire...
  • Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance
    Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance

    Feb 03, 2022

    TweetRally drivers from across Ireland will help fund...
  • McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6 March 2022
    McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6...

    Jan 27, 2022

    TweetMayo & District Motorsport Club, organisers of the...
  • Osian Pryce takes second British Rally Championship victory in a row at Cambrian Rally – 4th BRC win for Creighton
    Osian Pryce takes second British Rally Championship victory...

    Oct 31, 2021

    Tweet William Creighton takes his fourth Junior BRC win of...
  • Audi Sport electrifies with U.S. star Ken Block
    Audi Sport electrifies with U.S. star Ken Block

    Sep 24, 2021

    Tweet Electrifying addition to the brand with the four...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E race winner

Price on becoming Chip Ganassi Racing’s first female Extreme E...

Aug 07, 2022

Tweet Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti and Alex Zanardi are just some of the star-studded names who have been victorious driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. In Sardinia, Kyle LeDuc and Sara Price...
Read More
Spotlighting XITE ENERGY

Spotlighting XITE ENERGY

Jul 29, 2022

Polaris continues its partnership with Xtremeplus team ahead of Dakar 2023

Polaris continues its partnership with Xtremeplus...

Jul 29, 2022

Toyota Hilux 1-2-3 at Baja Spain Aragón – Orr navigates to second

Toyota Hilux 1-2-3 at Baja Spain Aragón –...

Jul 25, 2022

Baja Aragon: Two MINI JCW Rally in Top 10

Baja Aragon: Two MINI JCW Rally in Top 10

Jul 25, 2022

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved