MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Conor Daly finished 8th in his 10th Indianapolis 500 – Ed Carpenter Racing
  • Ed Carpenter Racing & Conor Daly competes in 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500
  • Jim Clark Rally takes the BRC to the closed roads of the Scottish Borders for Rd 2, 2023 season
  • How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland
  • Misano 2023 EU Truck Race Report from T Sport Bernau team
  • 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

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland wins Silk Way Rally 2019

Jul 17, 2019


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet
2nd Rd. Rally 2019 – Silk Way Rally (Russia, Mongolia, China)
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland has won the Silk Way Rally – round two of the 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Teammate Luciano Benavides finished in fifth overall to top the Junior class for the event. KTM Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz won the Women’s category with an excellent seventh overall.
The 10th and final stage of the Silk Way Rally proved to be one of the toughest of the event. Winding its way along fast rocky tracks and through the ravines and dry river beds of the Gobi Desert, the 255-kilometre timed special required 100 percent focus right to the finish.

Sam Sunderland, having ridden superbly in terms of speed and navigation through Russia and Mongolia, created a comfortable advantage at the head of the overall motorcycle class when the rally entered China. Using his extensive skill and experience, he put in a champion’s ride to maintain a fast and largely mistake-free pace and carried his lead to the final stage of the event, finally claiming outright victory.

With no fewer than three stage wins – one having opened stage five – Sam’s dominant performance at the Silk Way Rally gives him his second consecutive victory in this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship to extend his lead with two rounds left to race.

Sam Sunderland: “It’s really cool to take the win here in China. I’m really happy with the job done by myself and the team – it wouldn’t have been possible without this big effort from everyone to come to Russia, Mongolia and now China. It’s been a huge adventure and one that we’ll all remember for a long time, that’s for sure. For me I’m so happy to get the win, it makes it two-out-of-two this championship and it’s a really important one because of the points earned this round. I felt really good at the beginning of the event and was able to create a good gap. I felt a bit sick during the middle stages but was able to manage the race and stay on a good pace right to the end. I’m really pleased for Andrew, who has ridden a great race, and also Luciano and Laia. Now I’m looking forward to a bit of rest.”

Putting in an impressive performance throughout the event, Luciano Benavides placed eighth on the final stage to claim fifth place overall and top the Junior class. Continuing to learn and gain experience, the young Argentinian rode a mature race, often bouncing back from small navigation errors to complete each stage consistently and secure his solid top-five result. With two rounds of this year’s FIM championship remaining, Benavides’ goal is to increase his rally knowledge and overall speed.

Luciano Benavides: “For me, it has been a really good rally – I finished fifth overall and won the Junior category. It’s been a tough rally, but I have certainly learned a lot. I made a few mistakes in the last few days that ended up costing me some time, but I know what I did wrong and I need to go away now and work on those areas. Overall, I am happy with how I rode and the bike has been perfect. My confidence is growing all the time and each rally we do I learn a little bit more and gain a lot of experience. Finally, I want to thank the team – to be in this KTM family is an amazing feeling and everyone did a great job.”

KTM Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz rode to a safe 13th place on stage 10 in order to minimise any possible mistakes and safeguard her position in the overall standings. The Dakar Women’s Champion marked her first competitive outing in this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with an excellent seventh place overall – beating many of the championship regulars in the process. Laia’s impressive speed and consistent, error-free finishes paid off, especially at an event as tough and demanding as the Silk Way Rally. Sanz will now take some rest before continuing her Dakar preparation at the next race in Chile.

Laia Sanz: “I took it easy today as I wanted to stay safe and keep my position in the standings. Overall, it has been a good rally for me, these last days have been tough and certainly very tiring as well as being technical. I’m happy to be at the end safely and I’m very happy with my result. The organisation of the rally has been really good and I’m so happy that I came. I had some really good days in Mongolia but here in China I struggled a bit more. Now, after some rest, I will continue to train and focus as always on the Dakar Rally next year.”

The next rally event contested by the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will be the Atacama Rally, round three of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, held in Chile from September 1 – 7.

Provisional Results Stage Ten – 2019 Silk Way Rally

1. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 2:40:49
2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 2:42:39 +1:50
3. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 2:42:51 +2:02
4. Joan Barreda (ESP), Honda, 2:43:03 +2:14
5. Jose Cornejo (CHL), Honda, 2:43:11 +2:22
Other KTM
6. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 2:45:20 +4:31
8. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 2:47:52 +7:03
13. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 2:59:19 +18:30

Provisional Standings (After Stage Ten) – 2019 Silk Way Rally

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 26:12:47
2. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 26:33:09 +20:22
3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 26:33:48 +21:02
4. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 26:34:24 +21:37
5. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 26:49:37 +36:50
Other KTM
7. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 28:09:13 +1:56:26

Provisional FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship Standings

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 83 points
2. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 56 pts
3. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 51 pts


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Conor Daly finished 8th in his 10th Indianapolis 500 – Ed Carpenter Racing
    Conor Daly finished 8th in his 10th...

    May 30, 2023 Comments Off on Conor Daly finished 8th in his 10th Indianapolis 500 – Ed Carpenter Racing

  • Ed Carpenter Racing & Conor Daly competes in 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500
    Ed Carpenter Racing & Conor Daly...

    May 27, 2023 Comments Off on Ed Carpenter Racing & Conor Daly competes in 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500

  • Jim Clark Rally takes the BRC to the closed roads of the Scottish Borders for Rd 2, 2023 season
    Jim Clark Rally takes the BRC to the...

    May 26, 2023 Comments Off on Jim Clark Rally takes the BRC to the closed roads of the Scottish Borders for Rd 2, 2023 season

  • How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland
    How Extreme E delivered off track in...

    May 26, 2023 Comments Off on How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland

More in this category
  • How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland
    How Extreme E delivered off track in...

    Comments Off on How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland

  • Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew Al-Rajhi & Gottschalk win new Tabuk-Neom Rally
    Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew...

    Comments Off on Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew Al-Rajhi & Gottschalk win new Tabuk-Neom Rally

  • X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser McConnell’s first win in Extreme E
    X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser...

    Comments Off on X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser McConnell’s first win in Extreme E

  • 40 years of Audi Sport GmbH with a Rev-Up at the Nürburgring!
    40 years of Audi Sport GmbH with a...

    Comments Off on 40 years of Audi Sport GmbH with a Rev-Up at the Nürburgring!


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at Bonhams Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris auction
    For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at...

    Jan 18, 2023

    Tweet1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher in 2021 to...
  • Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022 EARLY-DRIVE road safety programme
    Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022...

    Aug 21, 2022

    TweetA unique young driver education programme, developed...
  • 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...

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

How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland

How Extreme E delivered off track in Scotland

May 26, 2023

Tweet The Hydro X Prix in Dumfries and Galloway marked a number of successes on course at the former opencast coal mine at Glenmuckloch. There were also multiple initiatives taking place off-track as...
Read More
Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew Al-Rajhi & Gottschalk win new Tabuk-Neom Rally

Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew Al-Rajhi...

May 21, 2023

X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser McConnell’s first win in Extreme E

X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser...

May 19, 2023

40 years of Audi Sport GmbH with a Rev-Up at the Nürburgring!

40 years of Audi Sport GmbH with a Rev-Up at the...

May 19, 2023

Impressive entry list for first Tabuk-Neom Rally: 2023 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship

Impressive entry list for first Tabuk-Neom Rally:...

May 14, 2023

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved