Daniel Sanders has stormed to victory in the opening prologue of the inaugural South African Safari Rally, kicking off the new event with a commanding performance near Sun City.
The Australian, known for his aggressive enduro style, thrived on the tight and technical 9km course that featured a mix of 60% gravel and 40% black turf—conditions that caught out many of his rivals but suited Sanders perfectly.
“Today’s prologue was tight and technical for rally, which suited my enduro style well,” Sanders said after clocking a time of 7:08 to top the timesheets. “The 8km track consisted of multiple different terrain types. I’ll choose my starting position tonight.”
Though only just over seven minutes long, the prologue played a crucial role in determining tomorrow’s starting order, with tight, slippery turns and freshly cut grass forcing riders to stay sharp.
Sanders, whose enduro background suited the tight layout, completed the test in 7:08.1, edging out Tosha Schareina by just over four seconds. The Spaniard made several small errors but still held on for second. He admitted, “It wasn’t the best prologue for me. I made some mistakes. But I’m happy with the result, the bike is good and I’m ready for the stages to come.”
Local rider Michael Docherty impressed aboard his BAS World KTM machine, taking third just ahead of fellow KTM pilot Emanuelle Canet, while Ricky Brabec rounded out the top five. The American said the short, slippery ISDE-style track wasn’t quite his thing, admitting, “The track was really slippery and twisty, it’s not what I enjoy the most but I’m happy to be back racing.”
Monster Energy Honda HRC teammate Adrien Van Beveren followed in sixth, also struggling with the twisty layout and grassy surface, while Skyler Howes, who had an early off-track moment, fell outside the top ten. Howes summed up the conditions simply: “It was tricky.”
Stage one will see the riders tackle 557km, including 262km of timed special, as they leave Sun City behind and head into the dense woodlands of the South African bush—where dust, tall grass, and technical navigation await.
| 2025 South African Safari Rally – Prologue | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | # | Rider | Nationality | Team | Category | Time | Gap |
| 1 | 4 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 7:08.1 | – |
| 2 | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 7:12.4 | +00:04 |
| 3 | 22 | Michael Docherty | RSA | BAS World KTM Team | R2 | 7:16.7 | +00:08 |
| 4 | 73 | Eduardo Canet | ESP | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | R2 | 7:21.5 | +00:13 |
| 5 | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 7:22.3 | +00:14 |
| 6 | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | GP | 7:23.0 | +00:15 |
| 7 | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | GP | 7:26.4 | +00:18 |
| 8 | 96 | Tobias Ebster | AUT | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | R2 | 7:27.3 | +00:19 |
| 9 | 1 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | GP | 7:28.3 | +00:20 |
| 10 | 41 | Raimundo Barbosa | CHI | Xraids Experience | R2 | 7:33.1 | +00:25 |
