Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s two-time event champion Toby Price is eyeing yet another victory in the 2023 Dakar Rally.
Price scored his first Dakar crown in 2016 then heroically won the 2019 edition despite carrying a fractured wrist throughout.
Since the latter, he has finished third, crashed out with a broken collarbone, and then claimed 10th this year.
That 10th was his first time finishing without making the overall podium, when he was on the back foot almost as soon as action got underway due to a roadbook issue in Stage 1B.
Since then, the 35-year-old had to withdraw from this year’s Rallye du Maroc due to a crash while fighting for victory.
However, there is optimism for Dakar 2023.
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“The 2022 Dakar didn’t quite go as planned for me,” admitted Price.
“I had an issue right at the beginning on day one with one note in the road book, and that made it really tough to get back in contention with the front-runners for the rest of the event.
“I know my pace was there, but rally can be tough and sometimes things just don’t go your way.
“We had a big gap in the middle of the year and put that to good use testing with the team.
“I felt great going into the Rallye du Maroc and my pace there was good, it’s just unfortunate a crash put an end to my race.
“We’ve got some more testing to do now in December ahead of a short break over Christmas, but then it’s straight back to it at the end of the year.
“I’ve had five podiums at the Dakar, and I know I have the pace to win – everything just needs to come together and I’m sure I can be up there fighting for another title.”
Price is joined at Red Bull KTM by fellow Dakar champions Matthias Walkner and Kevin Benavides.
Sister team Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing is again made up of 2022 winner Sam Sunderland and Australian hotshot Daniel Sanders, the latter of whom will make his comeback this time around from injuries sustained in the previous Dakar.
The Prologue starts on December 31 at the Sea Camp, on Saudi Arabia’s west coast.
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