Drivers battle dunes at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

2022 Dakar winner Sam Sunderland along Sebastian Loeb and co-driver Fabian Lurquin were the big winners at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Sam Sunderland wins the 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Source: Gasgas

Watch all the action from the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with an hour-long highlights package via SBS On Demand available from Saturday, March 18.

After his victory on the Dakar last January, Sam Sunderland won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge today just ahead of the two Hondas of Ricky Brabec (+3'08'') and Pablo Quintanilla (+3'56'').

"It feels so cool to get the win! Abu Dhabi is always a tough race with the strategy and that was even more a factor this year as everyone was right on the pace," said Sunderland. "If you started a stage further back you didn’t seem to catch up so much time even though you were pushing like hell, so it was definitely a challenge this year.

"It was a tough race physically as well, partly because of the pace, but because of the heat too, as well as it being so close to Dakar. It feels great to get another win and extend my lead in the championship. It also feels good to be able to reward the team like this because they have all worked so hard all week, and it’s results like this that makes it all worth it. The plan now is to keep the ball rolling and carry this momentum into the third round.”

In the overall W2RC standings, the Dakar winner increases his lead (63 points) over Quintanilla (46 points). Matthias Walkner (35 points) finishes 5th. The reigning World Champion just retains his place on the W2RC provisional podium ahead of Ricky Brabec (34 points). The American moved the most placings of any rider in this second round by moving from 7th place overall to just off the podium.

In the Manufacturers' World Championship standings, the Monster Energy Honda team maintains its advantage thanks to its one-two finish on the podium. Honda now has 83 points against 63 points for GasGas. Just behind, KTM remain in touch with 60 points thanks to 4th and 5th place on the ADDC for Price and Walkner. Hero Motosports took advantage of the performances of Rodrigues and Caimi to take 4th place from Sherco.

Drivers' and co-drivers' World Championship: Loeb and Lurquin new leaders

Source: ASO

Peterhansel and Prokop, who came especially to test their new T1 Ultimate and T1+ in the heat of Abu Dhabi, were not expecting much. ‘Mr Dakar' won the race for the 7th time, twenty years after his first victory in 2002, while the Czech driver took 2nd place.

“This is a really special win, a victory with a really good car,” said Peterhansel. “As the driver I made a few mistakes on some dunes, but that is rallying. I’m delighted to be the first car winner with this new generation of cars.”

Al Attiyah, Loeb, Al Rajhi and their co-drivers, the three leading teams in the W2RC standings at the end of the Dakar, each had a dark day due to mechanical problems. They then embarked on a daily hunt for stage places that yielded precious points (from 1 to 5 for the top 5).

Al Attiyah and Baumel proved to be the strongest in this game, winning four stages in a row after their poor start. The Toyota Gazoo Racing team collected 20 points, to which they added the 6 points from their 11th place in the W2RC class. The Dakar winner limited the damage by collecting 26 points.

Loeb and Lurquin, who arrived at the start of the second round one point behind Al Attiyah, took 28 points, two more than their designated rivals. The Frenchman leaves Abu Dhabi with a one-point lead. Loeb leads the W2RC with 112 points to the Qatari's 111.

Al Rajhi (Toyota Overdrive) retains his 3rd place in the overall standings with 70 points.

Watch all the action from the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with an hour-long highlights package on SBS On Demand available from Saturday, March 18.