Monday, November 21 2011
When the KTM Factory rally team recently travelled to Fontjouncouse in the South of France, it was all about carrying out final tests on the KTM 450 rally bike ahead of Dakar 2012- but also to have some fun. Now the countdown is fully underway for the world’s most significant rally and the KTM factory riders are all ready to face the race.
The official KTM Factory Rally Team, under the leadership of manager Alex Doringer and technical manager Stefan Huber was announced last week at EICMA. Cyril Despres also renewed his KTM contract at this event, following Marc Coma’s commitment renewal in September, meaning that KTM have once again secured the world’s two leading rally riders for its eleventh consecutive attempt at Dakar victory. Coma, of Spain, and French-born Despres have each won the Dakar Rally three times; together representing one of the most exciting rivalries yet seen in modern motorsports. In 2012, their support riders or will continue to be Juan Pedrero for Coma and Ruben Faria for Despres. While all four riders belong to the KTM Factory Rally Team, they will ride in the respective liveries of their individual sponsors: MRW KTM for Coma and Pedrero and Red Bull KTM for Despres and Faria.
All four riders will compete on the latest KTM 450 Rally bike, the 2011 model of which has undergone outstanding overall updates and improvements. The 2011 model saw Coma and Despres successfully absolve the bike’s maiden Dakar ride, finishing 1-2 after 17 days grueling competition.
Also at the final tests in the south of France was KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Johnny Aubert, who will also get his first taste of the thrill of the Dakar in 2012. Johnny will be riding a standard KTM Rally bike and will be taken care of by the KTM Customer Service, which supports the many KTM privateers who contest the rally. An impressive 50% of competitors put their trust in KTM for this, during the toughest of all rallies.
Alex Doringer: “What we want to do is to give Johnny a taste of what it’s like in the Dakar. His object will not be to get a top result on his first time out, but to finish the rally and to learn as much as possible in the process.”
The KTM Factory Team’s vast amount of equipment for the Dakar Rally is scheduled to leave for Argentina from the French port of Le Havre on Monday November 21.
