Sanders Claims 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Crown

Chucky doubles up to extend World Rally Raid lead 

Daniel Sanders continued his impressive form from the Dakar Rally, securing victory at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. The KTM 450 RALLY rider began with a fifth-place finish in the prologue before surging to the top of the leaderboard with a stage two win. From there, he found himself in a tight battle with Tosha Schareina, with the pair trading positions at the top throughout the rally.

After an intense 1,920 kilometres of racing through the challenging dunes of Abu Dhabi, the final showdown was set. Entering the last 167-kilometre timed stage, Sanders held a 7’23” lead over Ricky Brabec, while a tense contest brewed behind them for third place, with just over two minutes separating second and sixth overall.

While Brabec pushed hard to close the gap, Sanders maintained his composure, delivering a consistent ride to protect his lead. Meanwhile, Schareina, winner of the final stage, applied pressure, threatening Brabec’s runner-up spot. In the end, Brabec crossed the line just a minute and a half behind Schareina, but it was enough to secure second overall, finishing 5’47” behind Sanders.

Sanders’ stage four win and a strong fourth-place finish in the final stage ultimately ensured his overall victory. His efforts secured maximum championship points, extending his lead in the standings to 17 points ahead of round three in South Africa.

With Sanders on top, Brabec and Schareina completed the podium in second and third place, rounding out a highly competitive six-day battle in the desert.

Daniel Sanders – 1st: “This one is a really great victory to tick off as last time I was here, I lost out on the win on the final day which was tough. I felt great all week and it’s amazing to have won three races in a row now. I’m really enjoying riding, my KTM is running perfectly, and I can’t thank everyone in the team enough for their hard work to get us to this point.”

Ricky Brabec – 2nd: “The final stage was good and was just full gas. I’m happy to be here at the finish line and looking forward to the next round. I broke my leg in October, so at the Dakar Rally I wasn’t exactly 100%. I’ve been doing some work since then with my knee and now the leg feels a lot better. We made a big step in the right direction with the bike and I’m happy with that.”

Tosha Schareina – 3rd: “With the times so close after yesterday, I tried to push to win the stage and I came away with third place overall. It was not an easy rally as it was outside of my comfort zone in the dunes. Yesterday, I lost too much time opening the stage, but it’s part of the game and we’ll go for it at the next race. We don’t have this kind of terrain in Spain and Europe, but if you want to be world champion you have to be fast on all kinds of terrain, so I have to adapt and improve.”

Andreas Hölzl – KTM Rally Team Manager: “Daniel has done an amazing job. He’s been on point all week and his preparation has really paid off. He’s doing everything right, his bike setup is dialed in, and right now, he’s the fastest man in rally! Luciano did a great job, and with a few adjustments he will be able to make the most of his speed and rhythm and be out in front. Unfortunately, Edgar was forced to withdraw from the event due to an injury early on in the race, but he is already in recovery and should be back soon. We had a small but efficient setup with the team in Abu Dhabi and we proved that orange blood flows strong – we made it happen again!”

2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship Standings