Rally Raid
It’s already been quite a year for Kevin Benavides. After his win at the 2021 Dakar, the Argentinian has made a dream move to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
Reigning Dakar Rally champion Kevin Benavides is the latest recruit to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. The 32-year-old Argentinian will ride a KTM 450 RALLY when he defends his Dakar bike race title next January.
“I feel so excited to join the Red Bull KTM team, it’s a big, big change for me,” Benavides said at KTM’s headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria. “As Dakar champion the move is an important new chapter in my racing career.”
Benavides will race this season’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with his new team ahead of next year’s Dakar Rally.
“My heart was always orange,” Benavides admitted. “I started with KTM Argentina in 2008 and always used KTM bikes until 2015. Back home in Salta I have a KTM dealership and now I’m a KTM Factory rider… it’s like everything has come together.”
Benavides made his switch to rally-raid after success on an enduro bike, finishing fourth in the Enduro Junior World Championship just under 10 years ago. He then followed up this result with numerous national championship victories.
I get on a bike every day I can
“I started to ride motorbikes when I was three years old,” Benavides revealed. “I learned how to ride a bicycle and the next day I was on a small motorbike. After that I never stopped. I get on a bike every day I can.”
As current Dakar champion, Benavides is one of the hottest properties in rally-raid right now. The Argentinian has also scored runner-up results at the 2017 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and at the 2018 Dakar Rally.
“I’ve always felt that I was born to do something important with my life,” Benavides reflected. “I’ve always believed in myself and I work hard every day to put my name in history. Winning the Dakar was the biggest achievement of my life so far. I made history as the first winner from Argentina and South America.”
After winning 18 consecutive editions of the Dakar between 2001 and 2019, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are doing all they can to get back on top. Putting together the strongest possible rider line-up is part of the puzzle, in addition to continued testing and improvement of their KTM 450 RALLY bike.
I want to fight for the World Championship title
“Now I must adapt to my new bike and meet everybody I'll be working with,” Benavides said looking to the future. “There will be a new program of testing and training that I'll have to adapt to. It’s all super exciting and the best part will be riding my KTM 450 RALLY bike.”
Benavides’ outright speed, experience and hunger for future victories compliments the team’s ethos and vision, and he will begin a program of testing and familiarisation with the KTM 450 RALLY machine in the next few days.
“I want to be the first rider to win Dakar with two brands,” Benavides said on his ambitions. “Also, I want to fight for the World Championship title. I really want it!”
Benavides will make his competitive debut for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at Rally Kazakhstan in June, Round One of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.
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