2020 Dakar Rally Results: Honda’s Brabec Claims 1st Win for USA (Video)

2020 Dakar Rally Results: Honda's Brabec Claims 1st Win for USA

For the past 18 consecutive years, KTM has dominated the Dakar Rally, winning each event in dominating style. Two legendary names are associated with KTM and Dakar – the now-retired Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, who moved to automobile compeition.

But KTM’s amazing run ended in 2020 when Honda claimed the victory in Saudi Arabia for the 42nd edition of the “world’s toughest endurance race.”

The feat was Honda’s first win at Dakar in 31 years, the previous arriving in 1989 with France’s Filles Lalay at the controls of an NXR750.

Honda wins 2020 Dakar Rally

What’s more impressive is who won. Ricky Brabec became the first American to ever win the Dakar Rally. The Hesperia, Calif., rider only won two of 12 stage victories. The Monster Energy Honda CRF450 Rally pilot earned the overall lead after stage three and remained first for the remainder of the rally, which for the first time ever occurred in Saudi Arabia.

The 28-year-old was joined on the overall 2020 Dakar Rally podium by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Pablo Quintanilla (Chile) and Red Bull KTM Rally Team’s Toby Price (Australia).

Brabec’s first appearance in Dakar was 2016. He suffered DNFs while in the lead in the 2019 and 2018 editions. But 2020 – his fifth year competing at the event that began in 1979 – finally marked his inaugural win.

“We finally did it! This victory couldn’t possibly be better for Honda and the team,” says Ricky Brabec. “It was a tough and long race, but the team worked great together.

“The riders were good, the mechanics were good, the whole team worked really well. The bikes were really good in today’s final stage, and our main goal was for everyone to get here safely. I can’t thank everybody enough.

“The Honda team, and everybody that stands behind us, I thank all of you. I’m also deeply grateful to my teammate until last year, Paulo Goncalves. This was the first time for the event in Saudi Arabia, and the scenery was insane. I love it! We’re going to be back next year!”

Ricky Brabec following 5000 miles of 2020 Dakar Rally

The 2020 Dakar Rally took riders nearly 5,000 miles in 12 stages (including one rest day), with 3,100 of those timed specials. Brabec claimed stages 3 and six. Stage 8 of the Motorcycle class was canceled due to the tragic death of Paulo Goncalves in Stage 7.

As for Honda, it first entered the Dakar Rally in 1981. Over the next nine years Honda would earn five tiles, including four straight:

  • Ciryl Neveu (1982, 1986, 1987)
  • Edi Orioli (1988)
  • Gilles Lalay (1989)

Honda dropped out of the Dakar Rally after 1989, and returned in 2013 with the CRF450 Rally. Despite finishing runner-up in 2015 and 2018, victory had eluded Honda until this year, the 8th attempt after returning to the Dakar in 2013.

Honda Team at 2020 Dakar Rally Ricky Brabec

“First, I would like to congratulate Ricky Brabec on his victory,” says Yoshishige Nomura, Honda Racing Corporation President. “Also, I thank Joan (Barreda), Kevin (Benavides) and José (Ignacio Cornejo) on their fine performances.

“And finally, I thank the team staff and development team for making this win possible. This is the 8th year since we returned to the Dakar, and we’ve finally won. We have learnt from our losses, and the cumulative effort of everyone involved over the past seven years gave us this wonderful result.

“The relentless work of every member, in other words, a Team Honda effort, made this possible. We must not forget that Paulo (Goncalves) contributed immensely to the first six years, and we thank him, and pray he rests in peace. We are also deeply grateful to all of our sponsors, and our fans worldwide.”

2020 Dakar Rally Results: Honda's Brabec Claims 1st Win for USA

2020 Dakar Rally Final Results

Pos. Exp. Drive-Team Mark-Model Time Variation Penality
1 9 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 40h 02′ 36”
2 5 ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 40h 19′ 02” + 00h 16′ 26”
3 1 RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 40h 26′ 42” + 00h 24′ 06” 00h 02′ 00”
4 17 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 40h 34′ 19” + 00h 31′ 43” 00h 01′ 00”
5 2 RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 40h 37′ 36” + 00h 35′ 00”
6 16 RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 40h 40′ 10” + 00h 37′ 34”
7 12 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 40h 53′ 33” + 00h 50′ 57” 00h 15′ 00”
8 22 MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 41h 45′ 11” + 01h 42′ 35” 00h 05′ 00”
9 59 KLYMCIW RACING 42h 06′ 37” + 02h 04′ 01”
10 6 ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 42h 13′ 16” + 02h 10′ 40” 00h 30′ 00”
11 19 SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM 42h 16′ 08” + 02h 13′ 32”
12 11 SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 42h 35′ 50” + 02h 33′ 14” 00h 15′ 00”
13 56 YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA 42h 56′ 58” + 02h 54′ 22” 00h 20′ 00”
14 74 FN SPEED TEAM 43h 34′ 34” + 03h 31′ 58” 00h 02′ 00”
15 28 MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 43h 45′ 00” + 03h 42′ 24” 00h 14′ 00”
16 25 LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG 43h 48′ 09” + 03h 45′ 33” 00h 40′ 00”
17 35 ORLEN TEAM 43h 54′ 18” + 03h 51′ 42”
18 14 GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM 44h 00′ 52” + 03h 58′ 16”
19 7 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 44h 05′ 07” + 04h 02′ 31” 00h 15′ 00”
20 42 SOLARYS RACING 44h 10′ 52” + 04h 08′ 16” 00h 03′ 00”
21 18 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 44h 25′ 56” + 04h 23′ 20” 00h 15′ 00”
22 41 SOLARYS RACING 44h 28′ 36” + 04h 26′ 00”
23 132 MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 44h 33′ 17” + 04h 30′ 41”
24 95 NOMADE RACING 45h 24′ 21” + 05h 21′ 45” 00h 07′ 00”
25 37 HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 45h 53′ 19” + 05h 50′ 43” 00h 03′ 00”
26 29 MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 46h 05′ 45” + 06h 03′ 09”
27 53 YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING 46h 17′ 57” + 06h 15′ 21” 00h 21′ 00”
28 51 FN SPEED TEAM 46h 51′ 54” + 06h 49′ 18” 00h 13′ 00”
29 44 AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM 48h 05′ 07” + 08h 02′ 31”
30 34 ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS 48h 18′ 27” + 08h 15′ 51” 00h 15′ 00”
31 38 XRAIDS TEAM 48h 45′ 30” + 08h 42′ 54” 00h 10′ 00”
32 31 KTM FACTORY TEAM 48h 46′ 45” + 08h 44′ 09”
33 78 TEAM JOG – NOMADE RACING 49h 09′ 21” + 09h 06′ 45” 00h 01′ 00”
34 39 BENJAMIN MELOT 49h 17′ 41” + 09h 15′ 05”
35 33 TEAM ALL TRACKS 49h 50′ 23” + 09h 47′ 47”
36 69 TEAM VAYSSADE FLORENT 50h 38′ 46” + 10h 36′ 10”
37 61 ANTHO MOTO SPORT – DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM 50h 52′ 54” + 10h 50′ 18” 00h 02′ 00”
38 52 PETR VLCEK 51h 51′ 33” + 11h 48′ 57” 00h 05′ 00”
39 138 TEAM REPAR’STORES 52h 00′ 32” + 11h 57′ 56”
40 130 KLYMCIW RACING 52h 40′ 26” + 12h 37′ 50” 02h 22′ 00”
41 54 HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 53h 37′ 39” + 13h 35′ 03” 00h 01′ 00”
42 134 WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM 54h 14′ 28” + 14h 11′ 52” 01h 20′ 00”
43 85 NOMADE RACING 54h 17′ 51” + 14h 15′ 15”
44 71 115MOTO 54h 34′ 45” + 14h 32′ 09” 00h 01′ 00”
45 72 NOMADE RACING 54h 51′ 52” + 14h 49′ 16” 00h 29′ 00”
46 91 XRAIDS TEAM 54h 58′ 18” + 14h 55′ 42” 00h 05′ 00”
47 57 CAVELIUS TEAM 55h 04′ 00” + 15h 01′ 24” 00h 02′ 00”
48 49 TEAM CASTEU 55h 31′ 25” + 15h 28′ 49” 00h 00′ 30”
49 106 ALESSANDRO BARBERO 55h 34′ 34” + 15h 31′ 58” 01h 32′ 00”
50 97 MARCIC 55h 43′ 02” + 15h 40′ 26”
51 60 WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM 55h 46′ 53” + 15h 44′ 17” 00h 01′ 00”
52 107 NOMADE RACING 56h 04′ 31” + 16h 01′ 55” 00h 12′ 00”
53 152 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 56h 09′ 08” + 16h 06′ 32”
54 43 BIG SHOCK RACING 56h 14′ 54” + 16h 12′ 18” 06h 56′ 00”
55 117 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 56h 28′ 16” + 16h 25′ 40”
56 58 RIDES 4 HOPE 56h 29′ 26” + 16h 26′ 50” 00h 07′ 00”
57 133 TROYKATEAM 56h 53′ 57” + 16h 51′ 21” 00h 02′ 00”
58 63 DUUST RALLY TEAM 56h 56′ 27” + 16h 53′ 51” 00h 05′ 00”
59 113 X RAIDS PJM GENERAL DEHEZA 57h 09′ 16” + 17h 06′ 40” 00h 04′ 00”
60 104 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 57h 30′ 54” + 17h 28′ 18” 00h 05′ 00”
61 128 CALIDOSO RACING TEAM 57h 32′ 20” + 17h 29′ 44” 01h 00′ 00”
62 139 NOMADE RACING 57h 39′ 37” + 17h 37′ 01” 00h 01′ 00”
63 100 STUART GREGORY 58h 22′ 13” + 18h 19′ 37” 00h 05′ 00”
64 84 WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM 58h 28′ 49” + 18h 26′ 13” 01h 20′ 00”
65 127 SEB COJEAN 58h 40′ 19” + 18h 37′ 43” 00h 48′ 30”
66 64 XRAIDS TEAM 59h 22′ 13” + 19h 19′ 37” 00h 44′ 00”
67 129 TEAM PRO TORK 59h 31′ 37” + 19h 29′ 01” 00h 52′ 30”
68 76 RED BULL ROMANIACS 59h 34′ 03” + 19h 31′ 27” 00h 43′ 00”
69 81 PEDREGA TEAM 59h 40′ 09” + 19h 37′ 33” 00h 28′ 00”
70 110 BMS MOTO 59h 54′ 11” + 19h 51′ 35” 00h 42′ 00”
71 70 MISHAL ALGHUNEIM 60h 03′ 34” + 20h 00′ 58” 00h 04′ 30”
72 82 DUUST RALLY TEAM 60h 47′ 53” + 20h 45′ 17”
73 111 CESARE ZACCHETTI 61h 02′ 32” + 20h 59′ 56” 01h 20′ 00”
74 142 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 61h 04′ 02” + 21h 01′ 26” 01h 05′ 00”
75 109 NSM RACING TEAM 61h 05′ 25” + 21h 02′ 49” 00h 40′ 00”
76 158 TREVOR WILSON 61h 56′ 00” + 21h 53′ 24” 01h 20′ 00”
77 120 NOMADE RACING 62h 05′ 19” + 22h 02′ 43”
78 77 TEAM JOG – ORIGINAL 62h 15′ 21” + 22h 12′ 45” 00h 02′ 00”
79 68 IVAR CS TEAM 64h 07′ 52” + 24h 05′ 16” 00h 03′ 00”
80 145 M.E.D. RACING TEAM 64h 23′ 26” + 24h 20′ 50” 01h 03′ 00”
81 114 ADVENTURE-TECH 64h 30′ 22” + 24h 27′ 46” 00h 40′ 00”
82 89 TMF RACING ASD 65h 29′ 08” + 25h 26′ 32” 00h 40′ 00”
83 108 FN SPEED TEAM 66h 55′ 30” + 26h 52′ 54” 01h 05′ 00”
84 79 TEAM JOG – ORIGINAL 67h 07′ 54” + 27h 05′ 18” 01h 20′ 00”
85 87 CIUDAD AUTÓNOMA DE MELILLA RACHID RALLY 67h 42′ 32” + 27h 39′ 56” 01h 21′ 30”
86 98 PONT GRUP YAMAHA 68h 00′ 00” + 27h 57′ 24” 00h 40′ 00”
87 99 PONT GRUP YAMAHA 68h 01′ 31” + 27h 58′ 55” 00h 40′ 00”
88 136 TEAM CASTEU 68h 07′ 27” + 28h 04′ 51” 03h 10′ 00”
89 94 LALO BURGA 68h 37′ 03” + 28h 34′ 27” 03h 42′ 00”
90 103 SAGHMEISTER TEAM 70h 39′ 20” + 30h 36′ 44” 02h 00′ 00”
91 125 RALLYE FRED 72h 10′ 52” + 32h 08′ 16” 00h 40′ 00”
92 137 TEAM CASTEU 72h 32′ 22” + 32h 29′ 46” 05h 41′ 00”
93 155 ABC OLD FARM RACING 74h 57′ 00” + 34h 54′ 24” 01h 20′ 00”
94 154 EDUARDO IGLESIAS SANCHEZ 78h 22′ 13” + 38h 19′ 37” 02h 40′ 00”
95 88 TEAM TIERRASTUR 79h 20′ 19” + 39h 17′ 43” 02h 05′ 00”
96 143 BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 80h 27′ 03” + 40h 24′ 27” 00h 40′ 00”