Red Bull Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has won the 2025 Dakar Rally, marking KTM’s 20th victory at the iconic event. Claiming his first Dakar victory, Daniel secured five stage victories and led the event from start to finish to win by close to nine minutes. Dakar rookie Edgar Canet delivered a sensational debut, topping the Rally2 category with four stage wins and finishing an impressive eighth in the overall standings. Luciano Benavides achieved his best-ever Dakar result, finishing fourth after claiming two consecutive stage wins. Despite his early withdrawal, Kevin Benavides showed great determination, delivering strong performances during the first week of racing.
Daniel Sanders dominated the 2025 Dakar Rally, culminating with a sixth-place finish on stage 12’s 61-kilometer, mass-start special that crowned him the overall champion. From the outset, Daniel showcased his speed and skill, winning the prologue, the opening stage and the ultra-tough 48-hour Chrono stage to take an early lead. Claiming two further stage wins on his flawless KTM 450 RALLY and never giving up his overall advantage, Sanders is only the second rider in history to lead the Dakar Rally from start to finish.
Daniel Sanders: “So we have just won the Dakar Rally! It’s a massive accomplishment from myself and the team after a tough year, and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support. It’s been a long journey, and I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone! Now it’s time to kick back and relax after a long two weeks.”
Edgar Canet made a sensational debut as the youngest ever Dakar competitor at just 19 years old, dominating the Rally2 category with four stage wins and defending his lead from the second day to the end of the race. Edgar’s remarkable performance also earned him an eighth-place finish overall, an extraordinary feat on his debut Dakar Rally campaign. Concluding the 2025 edition by placing 13th on stage 12, Canet’s standout overall results include his runner-up finish on stage seven, and third place ranking on the prologue.
Edgar Canet: “We finished the Dakar Rally, we made it! I’m super happy to have got P1 in Rally2, it’s a dream come true, and I am really pleased for the team, too. Now, it’s time to party and celebrate!”
Luciano Benavides delivered an impressive performance at the world’s toughest rally, rounding out the two-week race with a seventh-place result on stage 12 to secure fourth overall – his highest ever Dakar finish. Consistently among the frontrunners, and with two consecutive stage wins, multiple podium finishes, and a career-best overall result, Luciano’s 2025 Dakar campaign was testament to his sheer speed and determination.
Luciano Benavides: “We’ve finished the Dakar and I’m really happy! It’s been a tough two weeks, but I’m pleased with my performance. Of course, I want more but to get two consecutive stage wins means a lot to me. This is also my best Dakar result ever so it’s definitely special. I can’t thank the team enough for all their hard work, and a huge congrats to Daniel on his victory. Nobody expected us to be this strong, but we have proved that we are here to stay.”
Returning to the 2025 Dakar after injury was a challenging endeavor for Kevin Benavides, but he approached the race with determination and grit. Benavides powered through the first week of the race, achieving his best result with a 16th place finish on stage four. Ultimately, the physical strain proved too great, and Kevin made the difficult decision to withdraw after the first week to avoid risking further injury and recover in preparation for the rest of the season.
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “That’s the 2025 Dakar done! I’m super happy for Chucky and the rest of the guys, the win is so well deserved. To be the second person ever to lead from the first day to the end is something really special. What we have achieved in a year is unique and we are very proud. I’m happy for the team, for KTM, and we are going to celebrate for sure!”
Pit Beirer – KTM Motorsports Director: “What an incredible victory! Congratulations, Daniel, and thank you to the whole team. From the home base in Mattighofen, who built an incredible motorcycle, to the team at the track, and finally Daniel, who won this Dakar in the most dominant style I have ever seen. Leading from the first day until the last is such a special statement and is so important for KTM as it shows exactly what we stand for – we are back on track and READY TO RACE. This victory is not just for the team and the race department, it’s for the whole company. It shows if we stick together and fight hard with our incredible riders, we can achieve incredible results. Congratulations also to Edgar, one of the best rookies we have seen for a long time, Luciano for being such a stable force, and Kevin, who made an impressive comeback but just needs that little bit more time to rest and heal. This is a super important victory, and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season for racing and for everyone at KTM.”
Provisional Results – 2025 Dakar Rally, Stage 12
1. Michael Docherty (ZAF), KTM, 54:11
2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 54:14 +0:03
3. Tobias Ebster (AUT), KTM, 54:55 +0:44
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 55:08 +0:57
5. Stefan Svitko (SVK), KTM, 55:10 +0:59
Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 12 of 12 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 53:08:52
2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 53:17:42 +8:50
3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 53:23:38 +14:46
4. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 53:31:08 +22:16
5. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 53:38:42 +29:50
