Defending Dakar Rally champ Ricky Brabec and his HRC wingman Skyler Howes lead a contingent of Americans into the Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia for the sixth time. The Rally runs from January 3rd-17th covering a total of 7,805 kilometers. The Monster Energy Honda HRC team will field five riders aboard the Honda CRF450 RALLY including Brabec who is on the hunt for his third win at the world’s toughest rally.
Fighting to be fit after a fall last time out at the season ending Rallye Du Maroc, the top American has been putting in the hours to make sure he’s in top form when he rolls up to the start line. Howes is also back to full fitness after picking up an injury back in the summer, which ruled him out of the final round of the 2024 season in Morocco. Back for his seventh attempt on Dakar, the man in the black hat is no stranger to the podium having grabbed the final spot in 2023 after leading for six days, so he’ll want to be back amongst the frontrunners in Saudi Arabia.
The Americans will be joined by the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship runner up, Adrien Van Beveren. Heading into his tenth Dakar, the 2024 48 Hour Chrono stage victor is aiming to write his name in the history books alongside fellow French Honda riders Cyril Neveu and Gilles Lalay.
Tosha Schareina, the prologue winner in 2024, will be looking to convert his speed to a result the Spaniard knows he has within him. Dakar last year was cruel to Schareina after he crashed out early on but putting that disappointment behind him, he then went on to win the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, the Rallye Du Maroc and was runner up at the Desafío Ruta 40. These results put him in the top three of the World Rally-Raid Championship in his first full season.
Rounding out the HRC effort t’ll be Dakar Rally number 13 for veteran Pablo Quintanilla. Despite finishing runner up twice in 2020 and 2022, Pablo has never taken the coveted top prize. The 38-year-old two-time World Cross Country Rally title winner is the most experienced rider in the Rally GP class and will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season.
Stay tuned!
