Rally scene at this year ’ s Dakar Rally ,

Australian Daniel Sanders has officially been

from luck , it comes from hard work , preparation , and ability to overcome all the challenges that only the Dakar can provide . Daniel is fast ,

signed by the GasGas Factory Racing Team .

motivated and very capable , so we expect to see

The talented 26-year-old Aussie joins the team

him battling for success in this year ’ s FIM Crossas

the new face of the GasGas Rally team , with

Country Rallies World Championship and then it ’ s

Dakar veteran , Laia Sanz , seemingly handing over

onto the Dakar next year .”

the reigns to return to her roots in TrialGP this

Sanders will compete in the FIM Cross-Country

year .

Rallies World Championship , starting with this

Not only did Sanders place an impressive fourth

month ’ s Rally Kazakhstan , before taking on the

at his rookie Dakar Rally this year , but as a former

Dakar Rally next January .

ISDE winner it is pretty clear he has the

“ Being the face of GasGas in rally is really cool ,”

background needed to compete at the highest

Sanders admits .

level on two wheels .

“ I ’ ve not been in rally that long so to be picked

“ It ’ s great to have such a talented , young rider

up and put on a factory team this early in my

racing for GasGas this season ,” says GasGas Rally

career is awesome . I ’ m so looking forward to

Team Manager , Jordi Viladoms .

racing this year as part of this team . It ’ s been

“ Daniel is very new to rally and very

such a long time since the Dakar and with the

inexperienced compared to his rivals , but he has

world championship coming up really soon , I just

picked it up really quickly . He is a very quick

can ’ t wait to be competing again . I ’ m excited for

learner as we saw at the Dakar earlier this year .

the future , the opportunity that I have , and it ’ s

Placing fourth in your first Dakar does not come

going to be a great year of racing .”

22 KIWI RIDER