Benavides Signs Multi-Year
Extension With KTM
L
uciano Benavides signed
a new multi-year contract
extension with the Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing Rally Team just
before round three of the 2026
FIM World Rally-Raid Cham-
pionship in his home country
of
Argentina. Benavides won
the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid
Championship title and clinched
the overall victory at the 2026
Dakar Rally earlier this year. He
currently leads the 2026 FIM
World Rally-Raid Championship
points after two rounds.
"I'm super happy to continue
with Red Bull KTM Factory Rac-
ing and keep this journey going
together,"
said Benavides. "KTM
believed in me from the very
beginning of my rally career,
back when I was still very young
and had very little experience
in the discipline. They trusted
me, gave me the opportunity,
and supported me every step of
the way, always providing the
best people, the best bike, and
all the tools to keep improving
and fighting at the front. I have
achieved the World Rally-Raid
title and now, finally, the biggest
goal of all, with the Dakar victory
earlier this year. To be able to
give that back to the team and
all the people who believed in
me from the start means a lot."
"We're really happy to con-
tinue with Luciano and extend
our
partnership with this new
multi-year agreement," said KTM
Rally Team Manager Andreas
Holzl. "To have the current Dakar
Champion in the team, as well
as a former World Rally-Raid
Champion, is incredibly impor
-
tant and shows the strength
of
our rally program. Luciano
brings a huge amount of experi-
ence but also an incredible men-
tality. He's a true professional,
mentally very strong,
and always
works hard to improve."
CN
VOLUME 63 ISSUE 21 MAY 27, 2026 P29
Luciano
Benavides, the
2026 Dakar Rally
winner, signed
a multi-year
extension with
KTM Factory
Racing.
