Video: Sam Sunderland Talks Life And Racing

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Since Pierer AG bought GasGas and adopted it into the KTM/Husqvarna family, it’s been focusing closely on racing—and the most successful GasGas rider so far is Sam Sunderland, who took the 2022 Dakar Rally title aboard the red-painted machine.

Sunderland spent years at the KTM factory squad, and many viewed his move to GasGas as a demotion. Maybe it was, but SunderSam made good on the move, proving over the rally’s course that he is still a star, with the speed, smarts and conditioning necessary to take top spot at the world’s toughest desert race.

GasGas tells us:

Growing up racing motocross in rainy old England isn’t the typical breeding ground for creating rally stars, but that’s exactly where Sam Sunderland got started in the world of racing dirt bikes. From his humble beginnings tearing around his grandparents’ farm before taking on the youth national series, it was only by complete chance that Sam even made the transition over to rally competition.

While on a family holiday in Dubai, the chance to work in a bike shop and race for them was too good an opportunity to pass up. And the rest as they say, is history! Making his Dakar debut at just 22 years old way back in 2012, a few mechanical issues and injuries through the early years initially held him back from showing the world just what he could do. In fact, the first time he finished the Dakar was when he won it in 2017!

He repeated that feat again in 2022 for his second victory and the first win for GASGAS at the prestigious event. History well and truly made. In episode eight of GASGAS Dirt, Sam shares everything from his winning mindset, his darkest moments at the Dakar, and so much more that it makes for can’t miss viewing.

Enjoy, and remember the Dakar is only about 100 days away.

Although it will run in Saudi Arabia again this year, there are several other changes, including some riders moving between teams, that should make the ’23 edition highly entertaining. Stay tuned!

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