The Chilean rider, two-time FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion and runner-up in the 2020 Dakar Rally, has been named as a Monster Energy Honda Team rider for the 2021 season and the 2022 Dakar Rally.
Pablo Quintanilla (Viña del Mar, Chile, December 10, 1986) has joined forces with Monster Energy Honda Team as a team rider with immediate effect. Quintanilla, 34, arrives with a fine track record in his Cross-Country Rallies racing career, which began with Honda back in 2013. He went on to claim numerous triumphs, the most outstanding of which include two FIM World Championship titles in 2016 and 2017, runner-up spot in the 2020 Dakar Rally and third place in 2016.
The Chilean rider will make his Monster Energy Honda Team debut astride the Honda CRF450 RALLY next week for the Andalucía Rally, which will take place on Spanish terrain in the regions of Cádiz and Seville from May 11-15.
Pablo Quintanilla 7
I am very happy and motivated to join the Monster Energy Honda Team. For me it is a great honour to be part of this tremendous team that has shown such great development and enormous professionalism over recent years. My intention is to be able to convey my knowledge and my experience to the team and I hope to get great results. I wish to thank everyone for the opportunity and I am sure that together we will do a great job.
Ruben Faria
In recent years we have had a great team, with riders able to win races. They have shown it: Ricky won in 2020 and Kevin in 2021, but Nacho was a good leader and Joan was also in front. Benavides left the team after winning the Dakar and we were left with one rider less, so we had to look for a top rider to maintain the high level of Monster Energy Honda Team. This is what we have done, and that is why I am very pleased to have Pablo Quintanilla aboard. I’ve known Pablo since I was a rider and, as well as being a great person, I’m sure that he will be a very strong element who will reinforce the great atmosphere in the team.
Tetsuhiro Kuwata
The announcement of the incorporation of a rider like Pablo Quintanilla into the Monster Energy Honda Team gives us great satisfaction and we hope that his work will bring great results soon. We have every faith in his experience, the work and the will to win that he has shown over recent years will be highly positive for the team and will help to continue achieving more triumphs like those of the last two Dakar Rally editions. Welcome Pablo!
