SAM SUNDERLAND CROWNED FIM WORLD RALLY- RAID CHAMPION

British rider Sam Sunderland has clinched the FIM World Rally-Raid championship following a solid finish at the season finale at the Andalucia Rally . Starting off 2022 in the best way possible by winning the infamous Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia , Sunderland then backed up his early form in the season with a win at Round 2 of the series , the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge . Riding a faultless race and still stoked on his Dakar win , the Brit claimed his second victory on the bounce to further extend his points lead at the top of the world championship . After a couple of cancellations and postponements in the racing calendar , including the axing of Rally Kazakhstan due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Sunderland didn ’ t line up for FIM World Rally-Raid Championship duty again until the Rallye du Maroc in early October . In what was perhaps his most crucial result of the season , Sunderland overcame the discomfort of a pre-race crash to put in a gutsy performance and place fifth overall to maintain his championship lead . Heading into this year ’ s final round , the Andalucia Rally , he needed just three points to be crowned world champion . But knowing how quick things can change in racing , the Brit left