Daniel Sanders looks towards Dakar defence after s...

Daniel Sanders

FIM Awards 2025

Daniel Sanders capped a defining yr in his rally profession by receiving the 2025 FIM RallyGP World Championship medal in the course of the FIM Awards in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Australian rider was recognised for a season wherein he delivered constant velocity, correct navigation and race administration, putting him on the forefront of the self-discipline.

A Profession Milestone for the Australian Rider

Sanders’ RallyGP title marks essentially the most vital achievement of his profession to this point. Having progressed via Australian off-road racing and later transferring to worldwide enduro and rally competitors, he joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rally programme five years ago.

His rise has been regular moderately than sudden, marked by stage-winning tempo at Dakar, key navigational strengths and a capability to get well from setbacks, together with earlier accidents that briefly interrupted his momentum.

In 2025, Sanders put all these parts collectively. His wins on the Dakar Rally and Abu Dhabi Desert Problem set the tone for the season.

He then prevailed on the first South African Safari Rally and maintained management on the bp Final Rally-Raid Portugal, securing the world title earlier than the ultimate spherical.

Chucky’s run of stage victories additionally set new championship benchmarks, confirming his standing as essentially the most constant rider throughout the yr’s 37 timed specials.

A Yr That Bolstered KTM’s Rally Legacy

Sanders’ title additionally provides one other chapter to KTM’s long-standing success in rally. The producer has claimed 21 Dakar victories since 2001 and has been a daily pressure within the World Rally-Raid Championship.

The 2025 season gave the Austrian marque its first W2RC constructors’ title underneath the most recent format, because of Sanders and teammates Luciano Benavides and Edgar Canet, who additionally gained the Rally2 World Cup.

KTM Rally Staff Supervisor Andreas Hölzl famous the significance of the mixed effort, highlighting the collaboration between riders, race engineers and the event workers accountable for refining the KTM 450 RALLY platform.

Andreas Hölzl – Rally Staff Supervisor for Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing

“We got here again in 2025, and from day one issues went rather well. The fellows did an important job and the riders pushed actually arduous. They advised us what we wanted to do to construct an ideal, snug bike for them, and that’s precisely what we did! Exhausting work paid off. We’re tremendous happy with that, tremendous completely happy for the model. There’s an entire group, a constructor stuffed with enthusiasm, behind this success and these race wins. All of it comes right down to what we put in. The season began completely in Dakar, with Daniel main from day one till the tip. He did the identical within the W2RC championship. Luciano is a good man and he did an superior job, incomes some vital factors. There’s a variety of work behind all this. It’s not simply the group doing the racing half; there’s additionally the group inside the corporate, working full gasoline on daily basis. We’re tremendous completely happy and proud about our season.”

Reflecting on his championship, Sanders stated consistency was the important thing issue throughout the five-round season. He additionally pointed to the worth of long-term growth work with KTM, acknowledging the collective effort behind each the riders’ and constructors’ titles.

Daniel Sanders – 2025 FIM W2RC RallyGP World Champion

“It was an unimaginable season. We had 5 nice races and stayed constant all through the entire yr, using quick and navigating nicely. It paid off, permitting us to wrap up the World Championship one spherical early. We labored actually arduous final yr, and since I’ve been a part of the rally-raid group for the final 5 years. It’s been improbable to assist develop a motorcycle pretty much as good as this one, and the crew deserved the title. It’s a group effort, so incomes each the riders’ and constructors’ titles means lots. We’re now able to go once more subsequent yr! Dakar is arising quickly, so we have to carry out nicely and keep constant, which is the toughest a part of rally-raid. We’ve celebrated our success, it’s time to place the previous behind us and get again to work to be able to proceed like this.”

With Dakar now approaching, Sanders’ focus returns to preparation and sustaining the shape that outlined his 2025 marketing campaign.