Red Bull Motor Sports Racing

I did not get off to a very fast start this morning, since the first part of the special stage was quite tough, with all the dunes and all those spectators. Moreover, the first special of the Dakar is always more challenging, since you need to find your focus on the race, and the new GPS is somewhat smaller, so I really was very careful. Fortunately, the special's last 20 kilometers were very fast and I was able to drive much more aggressively.
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One has not to look for to see a RedBull logo them days at the Dakar, No matter if with the "major" RedBull Teams like the KTM of Frenchman Cyril Despres, the 4 Volkswagen Motorsport Touaregs flying the RedBull colors or "the King of Dakar" in the truck class with his Kamaz - Red Bull is shown big time. Additional thee are many athletes in all classes sponsored on a individual level like Nani Roma, Marc Coma and, and, and.... The main competitor in that case Monster Energy is far behind and considering Speed Energy at all - we doubt the ever will play a role in the energy drink market past a hard-core fan-base level.

Spearheading the KTM attack are two riders that are recognized as the world’s finest exponents of the sport - French-born Cyril Despres and Spaniard Marc Coma, who have won three and two Dakar trophies respectively for KTM. In 2011 they lead two separate teams and their co-riders are Ruben Faria of Portugal and Juan Pedrero Garcia of Spain. All four riders will be onboard the brand new KTM 450 Rally bike, which has been designed by KTM’s R&D Department in close cooperation with the KTM Racing Department with valuable input from the two key factory riders. The KTM 450 Rally has been specifically developed for the Dakar in response to a rule change by the organizers in 2009, which limited the engine size down to 450 cc. The new bike, unveiled to the general public at Milan’s EICMA Motorcycle Show in November, first saw action in the Rally of Morocco in October 2010 when Cyril Despres won the title.


Cyril Despres has chosen Portugal’s Ruben Faria as his team co-rider for Team Red Bull KTM. Born in 1974, Ruben first raced in 1982 in the Portuguese Championship after which he won a number of national MX and Enduro titles as well as, among others, being twice Portuguese Baja champion. He has won three stages in the Dakar, which he says is his favorite race. He wants to finish in the top five in 2011.
Read the whole report here.... Daily pre-Dakar reports and race updates at Puro Dakar


Image credits: KTM Racing - Video credits: RedBull