Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has won the South African Safari Rally, securing his third consecutive victory in the 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Teammate Luciano Benavides delivered a standout performance of his own, bringing his KTM 450 RALLY home in second place, while Edgar Canet claimed a decisive win in the Rally2 category, where he now lies second overall in the class.
Fresh off victories at the Dakar Rally and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Daniel Sanders continued his impressive 2025 season with a commanding win in South Africa. After taking three stage wins during the event and finishing second on the final day, the Australian sealed the overall victory by nearly nine minutes. Thanks to his strong run of form, Sanders has now become the all-time leader in W2RC stage wins, setting a new benchmark with 19 career victories. Daniel’s triumph extends his lead in the championship to 35 points ahead of round four, Rally Raid Portugal, cementing his status as the rider to beat this season.
Daniel Sanders: “We’ve just won the South African Safari Rally to make it three races in a row this year! What a start to the season, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Every day has been different, from the navigation to the terrain, some of it has been crazy but I’ve really enjoyed my first time here. It feels great to put KTM on the top step again, and I’m excited to celebrate with the team. We’ve put in so much work over the past year to get to this point, so it’s great that it’s all paying off and I’m having so much fun riding this bike. My goal is of course to win the championship, and I’m feeling good for Portugal and Morocco later in the year. I’ll give it my all as always!”
Luciano Benavides delivered a superb ride at the South African Safari Rally to secure second overall, marking his best result of the 2025 season so far. Building on a strong start that saw him consistently finish inside the top three through the early stages, the Argentinian rider capped off his campaign with a solid fourth-place result on the final stage to comfortably secure the runner-up spot overall. Showcasing his skill and experience across the varied terrain, Luciano has been rewarded with a significant leap in the standings, moving from fifth to joint second in the championship behind teammate Sanders.
Luciano Benavides: “It’s amazing to finish second and make it a KTM one-two! Today was good, I knew I could hold onto second place so I stayed super focused on the navigation to avoid any mistakes. I’m really happy to be back on the podium, and I’m feeling really confident after this race that I can be on the top step again soon. I’m looking forward to Portugal and Morocco now!”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rally2 contender, Edgar Canet, has bounced back from injury in outstanding fashion, claiming a dominant class victory in South Africa by over 15 minutes. The young Spaniard led the Rally2 category for most of the week after securing wins on stages two, three, and four, and managed his lead expertly despite encountering some challenges on the final day. Canet continues to establish himself as a rising talent, with his full haul of points promoting him to second overall in the Rally2 standings with two rounds left to contest.
Edgar Canet: “I’m super happy to finish this race with the win in Rally2! It’s been a long week with a lot of bike time, so I’m really pleased to cross the finish line and to take the class win is amazing. I feel that I am improving so much with each race, and to finish seventh overall here in South Africa is something I’m really proud of. I’m happy for the team, we have had the best results possible, and we will continue to work hard. Bring on Portugal!”
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “We’re super happy for Chucky and the team! He has had an incredible performance, and he has proven race after race that he is the man for the job. Not only is he winning in the desert, but he has also come to South Africa, faced completely different terrain and won again. Luciano has worked really hard over the past few months, so we’re really happy for him to get a podium finish. It sets him up nicely for the next race in Portugal in September. Edgar continues to impress us at every race. For him to be fighting with the top guys and winning Rally2 is amazing. He is super consistent, and we’re really pleased with his progress. What an incredible week for the team!”
Provisional Results – 2025 South African Safari Rally (after 5 of 5 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 13:27:44
2. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 13:36:39 +8:55
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 13:37:44 +10:00
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 13:43:31 +15:47
5. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 14:03:32 +35:48
7. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 14:17:00 +49:16
Provisional Standings – 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (after round 3)
RallyGP
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 88 points
2. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 53 pts
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 53 pts
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 48 pts
5. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 46 pts
Rally2
1. Tobias Ebster (AUT), Hero, 66 points
2. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 63 pts
3. Michael Docherty (ZAF), Honda, 53 pts
4. Konrad Dabrowski (POL), KTM, 51 pts
5. Ruy Barbosa (CHI), KTM, 33 pts
