Sam Sunderland - GasGas' first ever Dakar Champion
"When you win big, you got to celebrate big!" That is what GasGas said on the occasion of newly minted 2022 Dakar Rally winner Sam Sunderland's homecoming visit to the GasGas HQ in Austria - the entire GasGas family congratulated Sam on his outstanding performance.
This was only the third attempt on the Dakar for the GasGas brand, but it represented the 19th Dakar Rally title for the PIERER Mobility AG family of brands - GasGas, KTM and Husqvarna.
"To celebrate the 2022 Dakar victory in style, Sam Sunderland handed the trophy to Stefan Pierer (CEO PIERER Mobility AG) at the headquarters before riding his winning Dakar bike through various buildings for a celebration with all employees.
Sam Sunderland: "It's incredible to celebrate my Dakar win with everyone from GasGas - I will remember this day forever. This really was a team effort with so many people at the factory in Austria fully behind the rally programme, so it's amazing to share this special result with all of them. This Dakar win really does feel so much better than my first! It's my first rally win with GasGas and things couldn't have gone any better. The bike worked perfectly from the start, which made things a lot easier, as this year's race was one of the toughest I've ever done. It's been five years since my first win, and with it being such a tight race this year, it makes this victory much sweeter."
Stefan Pierer, CEO PIERER Mobility AG: "Winning our 19th Dakar Rally title and to bring back the trophy to Mattighofen is a very special moment for everyone here in the company. It clearly underlines our commitment to this very special event and writes a positive new chapter in our incredible Dakar history. Sam's performance was truly impressive. With the support of the GasGas team, he managed the race perfectly, fighting hard and using his experience perfectly. This is a result everyone involved in GasGas can be very proud of."
Pit Beirer, Motorsport Director: "Sam has done an incredible job at this year's Dakar. It was a long fight, with many challenges to overcome, but with the support of the whole Motorsports team he was able to bring the trophy back to Austria. We are so proud of all the hard work the whole GasGas team have put in to achieve their first Dakar win - it's an historic victory and hopefully just the first success in what will be a successful year for the brand. When you think about what goes into a race like Dakar - the preparation, the logistics, the trucks, everything that goes on behind the scenes - all of this must come together to claim a win at one of the toughest events on the motorsport calendar. This is another important step in the onward progression of the GasGas brand."
Robert Jonas, Vice President Motorsports Offroad: "To win the Dakar Rally is a huge achievement for both Sam and the GasGas Factory Racing team. We are extremely proud of the victory and definitely thankful for the hard work of so many. Sam did an amazing job, maintaining good speed and consistency at this year's race, as well as navigating well through every stage to ensure he stayed near the top of the standings. And with such a dedicated team behind him, that performance was rewarded with a win at the world's toughest rally raid. Congratulations to Sam and the whole of GasGas Factory Racing"!
