The Pierer Group which owns the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas brands has decided, since the Rallye du Maroc, to close ranks under the orange banner. The current bike category leader Daniel Sanders is now riding in the same colours as the Benavides brothers and emerging hope Edgar Canet with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
In 2022, Sam Sunderland opened the W2RC record books by becoming the first world champion of the bike series (FIM), reunified with the car (FIA) calendar, in the colours of GasGas. The following year, Luciano Benavides again brought the crown back to the factory in Mattighofen, in the colours of Husqvarna, but in 2024, Ross Branch enabled Hero MotoSports to triumph.
For 2025, KTM is providing itself with all the means necessary to reconquer the discipline’s supreme title, which forged the DNA and its slogan “Ready to race” for the brand launched by Kinigadner on the Dakar. Indeed, KTM has triumphed 19 times on the Dakar, with the last victory to date being the one obtained by Kevin Benavides in 2023. For the moment, the orange brand’s hopes reside with Daniel Sanders, who has led the general standings since the beginning of the race. A 20th success would be a welcome shot of vitamins for the brand which could then claim the 2025 title of world champion again, to go along with the one in 2021 obtained by Austrian Matthias Walkner.
