Six weeks after the Dakar in Saudi Arabia, the World Rally Raid Championship is back for the second stop with the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. From next Sunday – 25 February  – until 3 March the action is back and Monster Energy Honda Team is determined to set the pace in this gruelling sand competition.

The team will be at the start with all riders, with the return of American Ricky Brabec, who was injured during the last Dakar Rally and is now cleared to compete again. Chileans Pablo Quintanilla and José Ignacio Cornejo will also be at the start with Brabec. Same applies to Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren, who will race his first Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge representing Monster Energy Honda Team.

With a very special taste for the sand lovers, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge starts with the traditional prologue on 26 February followed by five stages to rediscover the depths of the empty quarter in the United Arab Emirates. The race will feature a total of 1,311 kilometres of Special Stages until 3 March.

Delivered by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO), this race is a true classic going now for its 32nd edition. Last year Monster Energy Honda Team riders were at the spotlight, with the second and third places for Brabec and Quintanilla.

The team had already had their first taste of the terrain with the shakedown. All riders were literally flying in the dunes in a short but very intense session that was crucial to make sure everything is ready for the action to come.

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