Kevin Benavides – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – Dakar 2025
Dakar Rally 2025 – Rest Day
With the first week of the 47th Dakar Rally complete and the team enjoying a well-deserved rest day in Saudi Arabia, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now looks ahead to the second half of the 2025 event. Daniel Sanders leads the overall standings by just over 15 minutes after winning three of the five stages completed so far. Dakar rookie Edgar Canet has impressed by holding 10th overall and leading the Rally2 category. Luciano Benavides sits seventh overall after finishing as runner-up on stage five. Unfortunately, Kevin Benavides, who came into this year’s event recovering from injury, took the difficult decision to withdraw after completing the first week.
Daniel Sanders came into the 2025 Dakar fit and fully motivated to make his mark. After topping the opening prologue, the Australian went on win stages one and two, opening up a respectable advantage over his rivals. On stage three, while opening, Sanders minimized the potential loss by putting in an inspired ride from the front. Come Wednesday and stage four, he was back to his winning ways, increasing his overall lead before extending that further on Thursday. With seven stages remaining, Chucky holds a 15-minute advantage, and one he will be aiming to extend as the With his focus set firmly on the remaining seven stages, Daniel is determined to build on his lead and secure his place at the top of the podium.
Daniel Sanders: “The first week has been really strong and consistent for me, I’ve felt great on the bike and I’m happy with my riding and navigation. It’s definitely been really positive, and I have a healthy lead at the halfway point. Other than a few issues with my roadbook tablet, everything has gone really well and I’m having a lot of fun! I’m enjoying resting and recovering and looking forward to the second half of the race!”
Luciano Benavides has proven himself as a formidable contender in this year’s Dakar Rally, showcasing his skill and experience. The Argentinian has steadily improved his pace throughout the week, overcoming early navigation challenges to secure consistent top-10 finishes. His hard work culminated in a superb stage five runner-up result. With his KTM 450 RALLY performing flawlessly and his confidence high, Luciano is well-placed to continue challenging for top stage results and move up the leaderboard as the competition intensifies.
Luciano Benavides: “First week done and I’m happy to be finishing in a strong position, especially after my stage win yesterday. I feel better than ever on the bike and with my riding, navigation and skills. I think I could have used a better strategy this week as my gap to Daniel is bigger than I’d like, but it’s something I can learn from, and I am super happy for Daniel and the team. Next week will be tough, but I’m excited to get out there on Saturday after some rest today. Of course, I am still in the fight as I know I have the speed to be there, and a lot can change in a week so I’m going to keep pushing.”
At just 19 years old, Edgar Canet has taken the Dakar Rally by storm, establishing himself as a rising star in his debut campaign. Competing in the Rally2 category, Edgar secured two stage wins during the first week and consistently finished among the top ranks, building a commanding 16-minute lead in his class. His standout performances have also earned him 10th place in the overall rankings – a remarkable achievement in a field filled with seasoned Dakar Legends. With the race set to resume on Saturday, Edgar remains focused on achieving his ultimate goals, completing his first Dakar, claiming the Rally2 title, and gaining invaluable experience.
Edgar Canet: “That’s the first week finished! It has been really positive for me and I’m super happy to be leading Rally2 at this point. I have a great feeling with the team and the bike which has shown in my results. It has been tougher than I was expecting, especially the chrono and marathon stages where we spent over five hours on the bike. I’m really excited to see how the second week will go, and I will try to make it as good as this first one has been.”
Returning from injury to race the 2025 Dakar Rally, Kevin Benavides demonstrated resilience and experience throughout the opening week of the event. Despite racing at well below 100% fitness, Kevin steadily improved, securing his best stage result with a 16th place finish on stage four. Unfortunately, with the physical strain proving too much for the two-time Dakar Champion, Kevin has made the difficult but brave decision to withdraw from this year’s event.
Kevin Benavides: “The first week was definitely tough with over 30 hours of racing. I’m not in my best physical condition so it has been a fight every day, but I’m really proud to have finished the first week of the toughest rally in the world. That alone is a great achievement! It’s been frustrating as my mind knows how to race fast and stay with the top guys – I’ve proved that in previous years – my body just isn’t capable of maintaining that sort of pace at the moment. It’s because of this feeling that I have made the decision to withdraw for the rally – the risk of further injury is too great. I want to thank the team and the fans for all the support they have given, and I hope to be back racing again soon.”
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “We are super-happy about the situation at the moment with Chucky in the lead and doing an amazing job. He’s fit, confident, and the bike is working really well, so everything has come together perfectly, including the team behind him, who are working really hard, too. Luciano is in a good position going into the second week. He is feeling comfortable on the bike and we’ll certainly do our absolute best as a team to get him up into the podium positions. Edgar has been really impressive so far. In only his first Dakar he has shown he has what it takes to be competitive with the top guys. He’s obviously leading the Rally2 category but also just inside the top-10 overall. We’ll continue to work with him over the coming week to ensure a strong finish to the event. Unfortunately, of course, we have to say that Kevin will stop now after the first week. As we know, he had a tough year with injury but has done a great job over the first week here, and it’s a testament to his strength and experience that he made it to the rest day. Kevin will stay in Saudi and will be on hand to support his brother and the whole team, which is also a massive help. The second week here at Dakar is looking tough, but we’re well prepared and motivated to carry this momentum to the finish.”
Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 5 of 12 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 30:12:15
2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 30:27:17 +15:02
3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 30:36:46 +24:31
4. Ross Branch (BWA), Hero, 30:38:03 +25:48
5. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 30:40:14 +27:59
Other KTM
7. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 30:44:30 + 32:15
10. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 31:21:59 +1:09:44
26. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 33:35:11 +3:22:56
KTM Factory Racing | Photo: KTM Factory Racing
