Sam Sunderland and GASGAS Factory Racing win the 2022 Dakar Rally! With the kind of mature, thoughtful performance we’ve come to expect from him over the past two weeks, Sam finished eighth in the final stages today, taking an overall victory in the 44th Dakar Rally. After 12 grueling days of racing through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, he handed our first victory to GASGAS in the most famous rally in the world!
Sam Sunderland wins Dakar Rally 2022!
GASGAS Factory Racing claims first Dakar title!
Two stage wins for Daniel Sanders before injury
Sam Sunderland: “Wow. What a feeling! That 10-minute period waiting at the end of the final stage to see if I’d won felt like a lifetime. But this feeling, knowing I’ve won a second Dakar, will stay in my memory forever. This win feels better than the first as this victory was anything but easy. The times were so close this year and there was no time to let off the gas, it was a really close race, right to the end. All of the hard work, the sacrifices, and everything that the GASGAS team has done for me makes it all worthwhile. It’s been five years since my first Dakar win, and it’s been a long time to wait! I’m super happy to get another win and claim the first one for GASGAS. Everyone on the team has worked so hard to achieve this and it’s a true team effort – together we got the job done. Amazing.”
From the second stage to the end of the sixth stage, the Dakar race was the perfect start for Sam. During the two-week event, he drove perfectly and delivered multiple times in very stressful situations. GASGAS Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland has been competitive from the start and is the 2022 Dakar Rally Champion!
Sam’s second Dakar victory was not only an incredible personal achievement, but marked KTM AG’s return to the championship. Sam’s 19 wins over the past 22 years is a further endorsement of the group’s commitment and continued success in the toughest rally in the world.
While it’s all about Sam and his phenomenal performance so far, it wouldn’t be right to pull out of Dakar 2022 without giving Daniel Sanders the credit he deserves. Chucky was our second GASGAS factory racing star to race this year, and on the last day of the first week of racing, he won two stunning stage wins and brought Sam back to the GASGAS double crown. A fall on stage seven left him with a broken elbow and wrist, but the good news is that he has undergone surgery and is now on his way to a full recovery. He will return to Dakar in 2023 to compete for the title again.
Congrats guys, enjoy the party!
Norbert Stadlbauer – Rally Team Manager: “Amazing, simply amazing! This Dakar was a really challenging race, right until the very end, so to win, it’s an incredible achievement. Throughout the whole event Sam was smart, strong, and his speed was exceptional. I’m really happy for him and the whole of GASGAS Factory Racing. The entire team has worked so hard to be successful and it’s a really special moment. There’s no feeling like it. I’d like to thank all of the team’s sponsors and partners, everyone in Austria, and now, after a two tough weeks, it’s time to celebrate!”
Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2022, stage 12
1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:40:00
2. Toby Price (KTM) 1:40:18
3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 1:40:29
8. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 1:43:25
Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 12)
1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 38:47:30
2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 38:50:57
3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 38:54:17