The 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was a rally raid event based in United Arab Emirates. It was the 33rd edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, organized by Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO).
The event took place from 22 to 27 February 2025 and also counted as the second round of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship.
Background The route started at Al Ain, crossing desert to Mezaira’a, before taking on two marathon stages from Alqua'a. Cars participated in marathon stages for the first time at the event, before the finish in Abu Dhabi. The race format consisted of 6 days of racing, divided into 5 stages and a prologue. Competitor list
No. Driver Bike Team Class 1 Ross Branch Hero 450 Rally Hero MotoSports Team Rally RallyGP 4 Daniel Sanders KTM 450 Rally Factory Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RallyGP 9 Ricky Brabec Honda CRF 450 Rally Monster Energy Honda HRC RallyGP 10 Skyler Howes Honda CRF 450 Rally Monster Energy Honda HRC RallyGP 11 Hero 450 Rally Hero MotoSports Team Rally RallyGP 17 Mohammed Al-Balooshi KTM 450 Rally MX Ride Dubai RallyGP 42 Adrien Van Beveren Honda CRF 450 Rally Monster Energy Honda HRC RallyGP 68 Tosha Schareina Honda CRF 450 Rally Monster Energy Honda HRC RallyGP 77 Luciano Benavides KTM 450 Rally Factory Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RallyGP 21 Alex McInnes Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Motozone Racing Rally2J 22 Michael Docherty Husqvarna FR 450 Rally SRG Motorsports Rally2 26 Konrad Dabrowski KTM 450 Rally Replica Duust Rally Team Rally2J 27 Sultan Al-Balooshi MX Ride Dubai Rally2 28 Marwan Al-Rahmani MX Ride Dubai Rally2 29 Ludvig Messager Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Rally2 30 David Brock KTM 450 Rally Replica Nomadas Adventure Rally2V 31 Fernando Pasquel KTM 450 Rally Replica Nomadas Adventure Rally2 32 Rajendra Revallar Kove XE 450 Rally SRG Motorsports Rally2 33 Brett Hunt Husqvarna FE 450 Rally2 34 Martim Ventura Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Old Friends Rally Team Rally2J 35 Pedro Pinheiro Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Old Friends Rally Team Rally2 36 Ricardo Lastra Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Old Friends Rally Team Rally2V 37 Mattia Riva KTM 450 Rally SRG Motorsports Rally2 38 Massimiliano Guerrini Husqvarna FR 450 Rally SRG Motorsports Rally2V 39 Andro Korlaet KTM 450 Rally XRaids Experience Rally3 40 Eduardo Alan KTM 450 Rally XRaids Experience Rally2V 41 Ruy Barbosa KTM 450 Rally XRaids Experience Rally2 43 Sebastian Urquia KTM 450 Rally XRaids Experience Rally2V 44 Abdul Wahid KTM 450 Rally Replica XRaids Experience Rally2 45 Jatin Jain Kove XE 450 Rally Rally2V 46 Joan Vinals KTM 450 Rally Replica Joyride Race Service Rally2 47 Iñigo Zardoya KTM 450 Rally Replica Joyride Race Service Rally2 48 Leonardo Cola KTM 450 Rally Replica Joyride Race Service Rally2 49 Blas Zapag Husqvarna FR 450 Rally HT Rally Raid Rally2 50 Kees Koolen Husqvarna FR 450 Rally HT Rally Raid Rally2V 51 Markus Hertlein Husqvarna FR 450 Rally HT Rally Raid Rally2 52 Khaliunbold Erdenebileg Husqvarna FR 450 Rally HT Rally Raid Rally2 53 Edvard Sokolovskij KTM 450 Rally AG Dakar School Rally2 55 Ehab Alhakeem Fantic 450 Rally Replica Rally2 56 Jason Joslin Gas Gas RX 450F Rally2 57 Hamdan Al-Ali KTM 450 Rally Replica Rally2 58 Philip Horlemann KTM 450 Rally Replica Rally2 59 Tony Schattat KTM 450 Rally Replica Rally2 60 Robert Przybylowski KTM 450 Rally Rally2V 61 Marcin Talaga Gas Gas RX 450F Rally2 73 Edgar Canet KTM 450 Rally Factory Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Rally2J 74 Leo Conaboy Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Rally2 80 Carl Searles Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Rally2 81 Alessandro Mendoza Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Rally2 82 Craig Searles Husqvarna FR 450 Rally Rally2 83 Badr Alhamdan Kove XE 450 Rally Rally2 86 Martin Chalmers Gas Gas RX 450F Rally2 88 Thomas Childs KTM 450 Rally Rally2 94 Abdulla Lanjawi Kove XE 450 Rally Rally2 96 Tobias Ebster Husqvarna FE 450 SRG Motorsports Rally2 99 Justin Gerlach Husqvarna FE 450 Rally2J
No. Driver Bike Team Class 103 Antanas Kanopkinas CFMoto CForce 1000 CFMoto Thunder Racing Quad 104 Hani Al-Noumesi Yamaha 700 Raptor Quad 110 Gaëtan Martinez CFMoto CForce 1000 CFMoto Thunder Racing Quad 114 Marcin Wilkolek Yamaha 700 Raptor Quad 115 Marek Loj Yamaha 700 Raptor Quad 116 Abdulaziz Alatawi Yamaha 700 Raptor Quad 174 Abdulaziz Ahli Yamaha 700 Raptor Quad
No. Driver Co-driver Vehicle Team Class200 Nasser Al-Attiyah Edouard Boulanger Dacia Sandrider The Dacia Sandriders T1+201 Yazeed Al-Rajhi Timo Gottschalk Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1+203 Lucas Moraes Armand Monleon Toyota GR DKR Hilux Toyota Gazoo Racing T1+204 Seth Quintero Dennis Zenz Toyota GR DKR Hilux Toyota Gazoo Racing T1.+205 Juan Cruz Yacopini Daniel Oliveras Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+206 Rokas Baciuška Pablo Moreno Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+208 Miroslav Zapletal Michal Goleniewski Ford F150 Evo Offroadsport T1.+209 Hernan Garces Juan Pablo Latrach Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+210 Aliyyah Koloc Sebastien Delaunay Red-lined Revo T1+ Turbo Buggyra Zm Racing T1.+211 Henk Lategan Brett Cummings Toyota Hilux IMT EVO Toyota Gazoo Racing T1.+213 Eryk Goczał Oriol Mena Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+214 Marek Goczał Maciej Marton Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+216 Ahmed El Shamy Ali Hasan Obaid Fast&Speed 2WD T1.2217 Denis Krotov Konstantin Zhiltsov Toyota Hilux Overdrive Overdrive Racing T1.+218 Saood Variawa François Cazalet Toyota Hilux IMT EVO Toyota Gazoo Racing T1.+219 Sébastien Loeb Fabian Lurquin Dacia Sandrider The Dacia Sandriders T1.+221 Martin Prokop Viktor Chytka Ford Raptor RS Cross Country Orlen Jipocar Team T1.+222 Guillaume De Mévius Alexandre Winocq Mini JCW Rally 3.0i X-raid Mini JCW Team T1.+226 Mattias Ekström Emil Bergkvist Ford Raptor DKR Ford M-Sport T1.+228 Kellon Walch Ford Raptor DKR Ford M-Sport T1.+240 João Ferreira Filipe Palmeiro Mini JCW Rally 3.0d X-raid Mini JCW Team T1.+242 Daniel Schröder Henry Carl Köhne Volkswagen Wct Amarok Ps Laser Racing T1.+
No. Driver Co-driver Vehicle Team Class301 Nicolás Cavigliasso Valentina Pertegarini Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1302 Puck Klaassen Charan Moore GRallyTeam OT3 G Rally Team T3.1303 Gregory Lefort Serge Gounon Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1304 Pau Navarro Jan Rosa i Vinas Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1305 Adam Kus Dmytro Tsyro Taurus T3 Max Akpol Recykling Team T3.1306 Khalifa Al-Attiyah Bruno Jacomy Taurus T3 Max Nasser Racing Team T3.1307 Mário Franco João Miranda Yamaha YXZ 1000R Turbo Prototype T3.1308 Marcos Baumgart Kleber Cincea Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1309 Yasir Seaidan Michael Metge Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1310 Dania Akeel Stephane Duple Taurus T3 Max BBR Motorsport T3.1311 Pedro Gonçalves Hugo Magalhães X-Raid Yamaha Fenic T3.1312 Eduard Pons Jaume Betriu Taurus T3 Max Nasser Racing Team T3.1313 Khalid Aljafla Andrei Rudnitski Taurus T3 Max T3.1314 Jonathan Hart Ali Mirza Can-Am Maverick X3 T3.1315 Mathilda Lauwens Andre Leyh GRallyTeam OT3 G Rally Team T3.1
No. Driver Co-driver Vehicle Team Class401 Alexandre Pinto Bernardo Oliveira BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR T4402 Enrico Gaspari Fausto Mota BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR T4403 Claude Fournier Patrick Jimbert BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR T4404 Michele Cinotto Alberto Bertoldi Polaris RZR Pro R Sport T4405 Mansour Al-Helei Khalid Alkendi BRP Can-Am Maverick R Liwa Team UAE SSV1406 Khalid Al-Qassimi Ola Fløene BRP Can-Am Maverick R Liwa Team UAE SSV1407 Yahya Al-Helei Mohammed Hamri BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR Liwa Team UAE T4408 Aleksander Szustkowski Jaroslaw Kazberuk Polaris RZR Pro R Sport T4410 Hedda Hosås Pol Tibau BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR R-X Sport T4411 Atif Alzarouni Mohammed Hassan Innab Yamaha YXZ 1000 R T4412 David Mabbs David McBride BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR Vendetta Racing T4413 José Nogueira Arcelio Couto BRP Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR T4414 Marian Andreev Matei Negulescu Polaris RZR Pro R Sport T4415 Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli José Sebastian Cesana BRP Can-Am Maverick R Can-Am Factory Team SSV1
Stages Stage Date Start Finish Total/Special Prologue Saturday February 22, 2025 Al Ain Al Ain 72 km / 14 km 1 Sunday February 23, 2025 Al Ain Mezaira'a 400 km / 243 km 2 Monday February 24, 2025 Mezaira'a Mezaira'a 302 km / 228 km 3 Tuesday February 25, 2025 Mezaira'a Mezaira'a 388 km / 237 km 4 Wednesday February 26, 2025 Mezaira'a Mezaira'a 394 km / 300 km 5 Thursday February 27, 2025 Mezaira'a Abu Dhabi 364 km / 167 km
Stage winners StageBikesCarsChallenger (T3)SSV (T4)Quads Prologue Tosha Schareina Nasser Al-Attiyah Khalifa Al-Attiyah Jeremías González Ferioli Gaëtan Martinez Stage 1 Tosha Schareina Lucas Moraes Dania Akeel Jeremías González Ferioli Abdulaziz Ahli Stage 2 Daniel Sanders Sébastien Loeb Yasir Seaidan Jeremías González Ferioli Antanas Kanopkinas Stage 3 Tosha Schareina Nasser Al-Attiyah Pau Navarro Jeremías González Ferioli Abdulaziz Ahli Stage 4 Daniel Sanders Eryk Goczał Yasir Seaidan Jeremías González Ferioli Antanas Kanopkinas Stage 5 Tosha Schareina Nasser Al-Attiyah Yasir Seaidan Jeremías González Ferioli Marek LojRally Winners Daniel Sanders Nasser Al-Attiyah Yasir Seaidan Jeremías González Ferioli Antanas Kanopkinas
Stage results Bikes Stage result General classification Stage Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap Prologue1 Tosha SchareinaHonda00:06:53.41 Tosha SchareinaHonda00:06:53.4 2 Luciano Benavides KTM 00:06:57.4 00:00:04 2 Luciano Benavides KTM 00:06:57.4 00:00:04 3 Ricky Brabec Honda 00:07:06.4 00:00:13 3 Ricky Brabec Honda 00:07:06.4 00:00:13 Stage 11 Tosha SchareinaHonda02:54:001 Tosha SchareinaHonda03:00:53 2 Ricky BrabecHonda02:55:5400:01:54 2 Ricky BrabecHonda03:03:0000:02:07 3 Luciano BenavidesKTM02:57:1800:03:18 3 Luciano BenavidesKTM03:04:1500:03:22 Stage 21 Daniel SandersKTM03:01:351 Daniel SandersKTM06:09:02 2 José Ignacio CornejoHero03:05:3400:03:59 2 Luciano BenavidesKTM06:11:2700:02:25 3 Adrien Van BeverenHonda03:06:4200:05:07 3 Tosha SchareinaHonda06:11:4500:02:43 Stage 31 Tosha SchareinaHonda03:09:581 Tosha SchareinaHonda09:21:43 2 Luciano Benavides KTM 03:12:19 00:02:21 2 Daniel Sanders KTM 09:23:08 00:01:25 3 Ricky Brabec Honda 03:12:34 00:02:36 3 Luciano Benavides KTM 09:23:46 00:02:03 Stage 41 Daniel SandersKTM02:51:141 Daniel SandersKTM12:14:22 2 Adrien Van Beveren Honda 02:54:37 00:03:23 2 Ricky Brabec Honda 12:21:45 00:07:23 3 José Ignacio Cornejo Hero 02:56:06 00:04:52 3 Luciano Benavides KTM 12:23:08 00:08:46 Stage 51 Tosha SchareinaHonda02:03:27 1 Daniel SandersKTM14:20:56 2 Ricky BrabecHonda02:04:5800:01:31 2 Ricky BrabecHonda14:26:4300:05:47 3 Luciano BenavidesKTM02:05:4900:02:22 3 Tosha SchareinaHonda14:26:4300:06:04
Cars