DIRT NEWS
HONDA REVEALS 2022 DAKAR TEAM
The Official Honda HRC Cross-Country Rally Team has been unveiled . Monster Energy Honda Team looks strong for the 2022 Dakar Rally . The current Dakar Rally championship-winning team has been revamped , aiming to replicate last season ’ s win in the world ’ s toughest race , the Dakar Rally . The five-season strong partnership between Honda and Monster Energy has resulted in some great successes , including winning the Dakar . For 2022 the Monster Energy Honda squad will field a four rider team : Ricky Brabec , champion in 2020 and runnerup in 2021 , will wear the # 2 plate on his Honda CRF450 RALLY . With four stage wins last year , going from strength to strength throughout the campaign and in the final fray for the overall victory , he ’ s going to be a top contender once again . José Ignacio ‘ Nacho ’ Cornejo , the young 27-year-old Chilean promise , will return to
Saudi Arabia hoping to improve on last year ’ s bittersweet edition , although nobody will be able to take away his stage win or the fact that he led the race for three whole days . Joan Barreda is currently the active rider with the highest number of stage wins in the motorcycle category . You can ’ t rule out ‘ Bang Bang ’ from the list of contenders for the overall victory . Pablo Quintanilla is the latest addition to the Monster Energy Honda Team . The rider has already been on the final Dakar podium on no less than two occasions , and also holds two world championship titles . The latest signing to the squad will be more visible than ever this year . The 2022 Dakar Rally will start on January 1 in Ha ’ il , Saudi Arabia , and , after 12 stages and a rest day , will end in Jeddah on January 14 . The Dakar 2022 will also be the first round of the new Cross-Country Rallies World Championship .
20 KIWI RIDER