Daniel Sanders has continued his dream run through the 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, claiming his third straight win of the season with a commanding performance at the South African Safari Rally.
After dominating the event with three stage wins and a second place on the final day, the Aussie wrapped up the rally nearly nine minutes clear of his nearest rival and extended his championship lead to 35 points.
“We’ve just won the South African Safari Rally to make it three races in a row this year!” Sanders beamed. “What a start to the season—I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Every day has been different, from the navigation to the terrain, some of it has been crazy but I’ve really enjoyed my first time here. It feels great to put KTM on the top step again, and I’m having so much fun riding this bike. My goal is to win the championship, and I’m feeling good for Portugal and Morocco later in the year.”
Making it a Red Bull KTM one-two, Luciano Benavides delivered a superb ride to secure second overall—his best finish of the 2025 season. Consistently inside the top three early in the rally, the Argentinian capped off his week with a solid fourth place on the final stage.
“It’s amazing to finish second and make it a KTM one-two,” Benavides said. “Today was good—I knew I could hold onto second place, so I stayed super focused on the navigation to avoid any mistakes. I’m really happy to be back on the podium, and I’m confident I can be on the top step again soon. I’m looking forward to Portugal and Morocco now!”
Ricky Brabec pulled out all the stops on the final day to win the stage and steal third overall. With just 111km of special stage on offer, the American came out swinging, reclaiming the lead in the closing kilometres to secure the fastest time by 42 seconds—just enough to overhaul Adrien Van Beveren and snatch the final podium spot.
“Today we made a good push,” Brabec said. “It was a kind of difficult stage—only 111 km—but it was full ISDE Six Days style with the grass and the trees. We got some time back today but unfortunately, we were just one minute shy of second on the podium, so we’ll have to accept third for this rally and go and get them at the next one.”
After starting the day with a narrow 25-second advantage over Brabec, Adrien Van Beveren was dealt a cruel blow when his road book tablet froze 70 kilometres into the stage. Forced to stop and troubleshoot, the Frenchman dropped vital time and slipped to fourth overall.
“I attacked a lot at the beginning and felt really good on the bike,” Van Beveren explained. “But when my road book tablet froze, I couldn’t navigate properly. I stopped, tried to fix it, and eventually got going again, but I’d already lost a lot of time. It’s part of rally now, I guess, so we’ll have to accept the situation and look forward to the next race.”
Rounding out the top five was Skyler Howes, who fought back after a challenging start to the rally. He ended the final stage in sixth place and now looks to regroup over the summer break.
“Well, we made it to the finish line of the Safari Rally—it was a really fun event,” said Howes. “I didn’t nail it the first couple of stages and that hurt me, but the last couple of days were much better. I’ll be heading to a training camp now to work on fitness and navigation. I’m looking forward to a busy summer and being ready for Portugal.”
José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo continued his consistent season with another top-ten finish, ending the rally in sixth overall. The Chilean kept his cool across the demanding terrain, finishing every stage inside the top 10.
“We are done with the Safari Rally — it’s been a super cool week of racing here in South Africa,” Cornejo said. “We had our ups and downs, but also a couple of really strong stages. I was able to perform well in conditions that have typically been a weakness for me, so that’s a big positive. Yes, I lost some time here and there, but overall, I believe we’re moving in the right direction and making clear improvements in these kinds of terrains.”
Bradley Cox finished 5th on the final stage and took 8th overall — an impressive result for his first race with the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team.
Edgar Canet delivered a standout performance in the Rally2 category, not only winning the class by over 15 minutes but also finishing an impressive seventh outright. The young Spaniard continues to build momentum as one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in the W2RC paddock.
“I’m super happy to finish this race with the win in Rally2!” Canet said. “It’s been a long week, and I’m really pleased to take the class win. I feel like I’m improving so much with each race, and to finish seventh overall here in South Africa is something I’m really proud of. We’ll keep working hard—bring on Portugal!”
Tobias Ebster also starred in the Rally2 category, finishing ninth overall and second in class after securing his his team’s first-ever Rally2 stage win on the final day. The young Austrian now leads the Rally2 championship with two rounds to go.
Hero teammate Ross Branch had a solid recovery after early setbacks, finishing third on the final stage and 11th overall. The reigning world champion will now aim to carry that momentum into the final two rounds of the season.
“It’s the end of the Safari Rally here in South Africa, and what an incredible week of racing it’s been!” Branch said. “I truly enjoyed every moment — the atmosphere, the people, and the passionate spectators made it all the more special. The bike performed flawlessly as always. Unfortunately, we had a setback due to an incident on Day 2, which impacted our overall standings. But we’re back on pace now, the speed is there, and I’m really happy with how everything is coming together. Looking ahead, I’m excited for Morocco and Portugal. A big thank you to everyone for all the support!”
With the summer break now underway, the W2RC teams will return to action at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, scheduled for 22–28 September 2025. As the fourth round of the championship, the event offers a crucial opportunity for riders and manufacturers alike to regroup and make a push in the final stretch of the season.
| 2025 South African Safari Rally – Stage 5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Name | Team | Class | Time | Gap |
| 1 | 9 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 01:23:17 | — |
| 2 | 4 | Daniel Sanders (AUS) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 01:23:59 | + 00:42 |
| 3 | 1 | Ross Branch (BOT) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | GP | 01:25:23 | + 02:06 |
| 4 | 77 | Luciano Benavides (ARG) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 01:25:53 | + 02:36 |
| 5 | 12 | Bradley Cox (RSA) | Sherco TVS Rally Factory | GP | 01:27:05 | + 03:48 |
| 6 | 10 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 01:28:26 | + 05:09 |
| 7 | 11 | José Ignacio Cornejo (CHI) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | GP | 01:29:23 | + 06:06 |
| 8 | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 01:29:29 | + 06:12 |
| 9 | 96 | Tobias Ebster (AUT) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | R2 | 01:30:33 | + 07:16 |
| 10 | 41 | Roberto Barbosa (CHI) | Xraids Experience | R2 | 01:31:11 | + 07:54 |
| 11 | 22 | Michael Docherty (RSA) | BAS World KTM Team | R2 | 01:31:30 | + 08:13 |
| 12 | 73 | Enric Canet (ESP) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | R2 | 01:35:20 | + 12:03 |
| 13 | 51 | Mitchell Meiring (RSA) | — | R2 | 01:35:46 | + 12:29 |
| 14 | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski (POL) | BAS World KTM Team | R2 | 01:37:51 | + 14:34 |
| 15 | 55 | Florent Bancilhon (FRA) | — | R2 | 01:39:39 | + 16:22 |
| 16 | 49 | Sebastian Rostan (ARG) | Xraids Experience | R2 | 01:41:21 | + 18:04 |
| 17 | 60 | Mathis Jauffraud (FRA) | — | R2 | 01:44:00 | + 20:43 |
| 2025 South African Safari Rally – Final Standings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Name | Team | Class | Time | Gap |
| 1 | 4 | Daniel Sanders (AUS) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 13:27:44 | — |
| 2 | 77 | Luciano Benavides (ARG) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 13:36:39 | + 08:55 |
| 3 | 9 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 13:37:44 | + 10:00 |
| 4 | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 13:43:31 | + 15:47 |
| 5 | 10 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 14:03:32 | + 35:48 |
| 6 | 11 | José Ignacio Cornejo (CHI) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | GP | 14:13:46 | + 46:02 |
| 7 | 73 | Eduardo Canet (ESP) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | R2 | 14:17:00 | + 49:16 |
| 8 | 12 | Bradley Cox (RSA) | Sherco TVS Rally Factory | GP | 14:27:46 | + 01:00:02 |
| 9 | 96 | Tobias Ebster (AUT) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | R2 | 14:32:24 | + 01:04:40 |
| 10 | 22 | Michael Docherty (RSA) | BAS World KTM Team | R2 | 14:40:35 | + 01:12:51 |
| 11 | 1 | Ross Branch (BOT) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | GP | 15:23:03 | + 01:55:19 |
| 12 | 41 | Roberto Barbosa (CHI) | Xraids Experience | R2 | 15:27:16 | + 01:59:32 |
| 13 | 26 | Konrad Dąbrowski (POL) | BAS World KTM Team | R2 | 15:28:39 | + 02:00:55 |
| 14 | 55 | Franck Bancilhon (FRA) | — | R2 | 16:27:03 | + 02:59:19 |
| 15 | 51 | Matthew Meiring (RSA) | — | R2 | 16:27:40 | + 02:59:56 |
| 16 | 114 | David Barnard (RSA) | — | R2 | 16:52:21 | + 03:24:37 |
| 17 | 49 | Santiago Rostan (ARG) | Xraids Experience | R2 | 16:57:50 | + 03:30:06 |
| 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship After Round 3 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Rider | Team / Manufacturer | Points | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 1 | D. Sanders (AUS) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM | 88 | 38 (1.) | 25 (1.) | 25 (1.) |
| 2 | L. Benavides (ARG) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM | 53 | 20 (4.) | 13 (4.) | 20 (2.) |
| 3 | R. Brabec (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC / Honda | 53 | 17 (5.) | 20 (2.) | 16 (3.) |
| 4 | A. Van Beveren (FRA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC / Honda | 48 | 24 (3.) | 11 (5.) | 13 (4.) |
| 5 | T. Schareina (ESP) | Monster Energy Honda HRC / Honda | 46 | 30 (2.) | 16 (3.) | DNF |
| 6 | S. Howes (USA) | Monster Energy Honda HRC / Honda | 35 | 15 (6.) | 9 (7.) | 11 (5.) |
| 7 | J. Cornejo Florimo (CHL) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally / Hero | 34 | 14 (7.) | 10 (6.) | 10 (6.) |
| 8 | B. Cox (ZAF) | BAS World KTM Racing Team / KTM | 9 | – | – | 9 (7.) |
| 9 | R. Branch (BWA) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally / Hero | 8 | – | – | 8 (8.) |
| 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship – Rally2 Standings After Round 3 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Rider | Team / Manufacturer | Points | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 1 | Tobias Ebster (AUT) | Hero MotoSports Team Rally / Hero | 66 | 30 (2.) | 16 (3.) | 20 (2.) |
| 2 | Eduardo Canet (ESP) | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM | 63 | 38 (1.) | – | 25 (1.) |
| 3 | Michael Docherty (ZAF) | BAS World KTM Racing Team / KTM | 58 | 17 (5.) | 25 (1.) | 16 (3.) |
| 4 | Konrad Dąbrowski (POL) | Duust Rally Team / KTM | 45 | 14 (7.) | 20 (2.) | 11 (5.) |
| 5 | Raimundo Barbosa (CHI) | Xraids Experience / KTM | 26 | – | 13 (4.) | 13 (4.) |
| 6 | Romain Dumontier (FRA) | Team Dumontier Racing / Honda | 24 | 24 (3.) | – | – |
| 7 | Tilen Mulec (SVN) | BAS World KTM Racing Team / KTM | 20 | 20 (4.) | – | – |
| 8 | Naël Théric (FRA) | Kove / Kove | 15 | 15 (6.) | – | – |
| 9 | David Drdaj (CZE) | Cajdašrot / KTM | 12 | 12 (8.) | – | – |
| 10 | Marco Ventura (POR) | Old Friends Rally Team / Husqvarna | 11 | – | 11 (5.) | – |
