In the bivouac at La Paz today there was no rush and little noise of running engines. It was a moment for riders to catch up on the sleep that they’ve missed over the previous days and a chance for the mechanics to work on the machines. The Monster Energy Honda Team readies itself for the crucial second and final week of the racing.

The balance sheet of the first six days of racing reads positively, with two stage victories for Joan Barreda and the overall leader board currently topped by Kevin Benavides – both riders with strong chances of clinching the outright prize at this Dakar 2018. The first week was an arduous task, but both the Honda CRF450 RALLY and the riders endured the strains without any setbacks. Ricky Brabec rode some fine stages in Peru, as did Michael Metge, although the Frenchman dropped time after being sanctioned for failing to validate a waypoint point due to an instrument failure. A worthy mention also goes to young José Ignacio Cornejo, who replaced the injured Paulo Gonçalves at the eleventh hour, who has adapted quickly to a previously unknown motorcycle with very solid results.

The team is now preparing for the second week of racing and can expect eight tough stages across both Bolivia and Argentina. The first part, with rain and mud forecast at an altitude of over 3500 metres, and the second, with desert areas such as those of Fiambalá or San Juan.
Tomorrow competitors will tackle the first of the marathon stages between La Paz and Uyuni, featuring 425 kilometres of special stage followed by a night in the bivouac where no external mechanical assistance is allowed. The second leg of the marathon will finish up on Sunday in Tupiza.

Team Support

Monster Energy Honda Team has been able to devote themselves to preparing the 2018 Dakar thanks to the support of various collaborators and team sponsors. Principally Monster Energy, which gives the title to the team. Furthermore, Monster is in the race with two vehicles: a support truck and a press 4×4 vehicle. Their energy drinks, such as the new Monster Hydro, provide glucose and vitamins and help reduce fatigue. Another of the great collaborators, Motul, supplies all the oils, lubricants and cleaning material for the motorcycles. In this Dakar, Motul has brought a laboratory truck to analyze the oils used by the bikes. The riders rely on Michelin tyres to face the Dakar, with the French brand offering a range of different tyre types and the ‘mousse’ that competitors rely on to make it safely through hundreds of kilometres. Showa has put a mechanic at the disposal of the team, exclusively dedicated to the suspensions of the five Honda CRF450 RALLYs. GIVI also supports the team with specific technical materials. The mandatory survival kits are supplied by the Italian brand, as are the essential handguards for the stages in altitude where temperatures can drop below zero. Italian brand Termignoni manufactures the top quality exhaust pipes and silencers that adorn the Honda CRF450 RALLYs of Barreda, Benavides, Metge, Brabec and Cornejo.

The riders outfits are supplied by is Alpinestars, which provides the highest quality and comfort required. The plastics are provided by Acerbis and other bike components and equipment used by the team are supplied by such technical collaborators as ARC, Beta tools, DID, FCC, GAT, Kiron, Kyocera, Laika campers, Insect Shield, Moonfactory, Nissei, Noguchi seats, Peli technical boxes, PIAA, Renthal, RPM Films, Shindengen, Supersprox, Toray Carbon Magic, Urban Tucano clothes, Twin Air, Vibram shoes, Wings and goggles 100%.

Equally essential to the Monster Energy Honda Team is the support from the Honda family itself: Honda Peru has collaborated with the team during the first part of the race, offering infrastructure and logistics, and likewise Honda Motor de Chile and Honda Argentina.

Taichi Honda

HRC Team Representative

In La Paz we have finished six days of racing with good results, we are satisfied with that, but there are still seven more days ahead and each one has to focus on doing his job, to be able to arrive as best we can and with the best options of winning the race. The five stages of dunes have punished the bikes, but we have checked the condition of all the bikes and they are perfectly capable of holding out for the rest of the stages as they have not suffered any damage.

Joan Barreda

OVERALL: 4th

The first week has been different compared to what is to come. Now begin the stages with more kilometres and more paths. We are depending on the weather, which could really complicate the stages with water and mud. We have to be very focused to try to maintain a fast pace and be able to make up some time, although I don’t want to obsess about it too much, because there are many stages - some with navigation - where big differences can be made.

Michael Metge 14

OVERALL: 24th

I am happy for the team, because Kevin is the leader and Joan is very well placed, and for my part I am also pleased with my speed. I've been among the first despite some stupid mistakes. They wouldn’t annul the hour time penalty time due to the speedocap, but I was left without the instrument and what I did was follow another rider and I got within metres of validating that waypoint. There is now a week to try everything. I will help the team to achieve its main goal.

Ricky Brabec 20

OVERALL: 11th

This Dakar has not been that demanding so far; in the dunes I felt very good physically, practically giving 100%. The team has done very well and now we are able to enjoy a day of rest after a very long day yesterday with low temperatures and rain. It was difficult to ride this bike with the mud and then in a very long liaison section, although it was not technically demanding and had hardly any navigation. Now it’s time to prepare the next stages before the end in Cordoba.

Kevin Benavides 47

OVERALL: 1st

The week has been very good and I think the balance is super-positive for me. In Peru it has been hard and I tried to take care of myself a lot, because it was, to a certain extent, pretty dangerous. There was complicated navigation in Peru, which was to be expected, but we did well. I have arrived in Bolivia as race leader and it is fantastic, but now we have to cross Bolivia, with different terrain and reach my beloved Argentina. There is still a long way to go and we must stay calm.

2018 Dakar
News   Dakar

Provisional Standings after Stage 6

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Benavides Kevin 47 ARG Monster Energy Honda Team Honda 16:33'20
2 Van Beveren Adrien 4 FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +1'57
3 Walkner Matthias 2 AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +3'50
4 Barreda Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +9'33
5 Price Toby 8 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +9'39
6 Meo Antoine 19 FRA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +10'42
7 de Soultrait Xavier 23 FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +11'24
8 Quintanilla Pablo 10 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team Husqvarna +16'42
9 Farres Gerard 3 SPA Himoinsa Team KTM +18'08
10 Svitko Stefan 9 SLO Slovnaft Rally Team KTM +29'11
11 Brabec Ricky 20 USA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +30'34
11 Cornejo José Ignacio "Nacho" 68 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +34'05
24 Metge Michael 14 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +1:22'22

DAKAR 2018: Rest day Monster Energy Honda Team

DAKAR 2018: Rest day Monster Energy Honda Team

Location Information

The greatest and toughest rally in the world, the Dakar’s history has been written in the heart of some of the world’s most stunning deserts and belongs to the world of the greatest sporting challenges of our time. Both a motor race and an orienteering challenge, the Dakar Rally pits… read more.

Lima, Perú - View in Google Maps