After a decade of success collectively, Toby Worth‘s time with Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing has come to an finish. Worth confirmed his departure on Tuesday, explaining the group opted to not renew his contract following the Dakar Rally in January. His focus for the remainder of 2024 might be on the SCORE Worldwide World Desert Championship.
KTM initially gave him an extension in October, which might have saved him concerned via not less than all the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship. Nonetheless, because the producer undergoes reshuffling and finances cuts, the group didn’t register for the 2024 championship, making Worth and team-mate Kevin Benavides ineligible to earn factors.
In his last race with them at Dakar, Worth completed fifth general within the RallyGP class. Whereas he didn’t win a stage, he scored three podium finishes with a 3rd in Stage #5 and runner-ups on the Chrono Stage and on the ultimate day. KTM didn’t seem on the subsequent W2RC spherical in Abu Dhabi, although each RallyGP group save for Hero MotoSports sat out that spherical.
“I do really feel like I’m nonetheless in my prime and going on the market preventing for wins, particularly at Dakar so it’s unlucky to not have that chance to do it in 2025 however I’m actually appreciative of the help they gave me in my profession,” wrote Worth. “We’ve been capable of do one thing nice issues collectively like win two Dakars and get a pair podiums, a World Championship and our success in Australia too.”
After successful a stage and ending third in his Dakar début in 2015, Worth grew to become a KTM manufacturing facility rider the next 12 months and instantly made an impression by successful the race. He added the FIM Cross-Nation Rallies World Championship (predecessor to the W2RC) in 2018 adopted by a second Dakar victory a 12 months later.
He got here up simply 4 factors in need of successful the 2023 World Rally-Raid Championship to Luciano Benavides. After narrowly shedding to Kevin at Dakar, Worth took the factors lead with a 3rd on the Abu Dhabi Desert Problem. Nonetheless, Luciano leapfrogged him by successful the penultimate Desafío Ruta 40 whereas Worth struggled with mechanical points and was relegated to eighth. Regardless of claiming the season-ending Rallye du Maroc, he was unable to cross the Husqvarna rider for the title.
Together with his time at KTM now over, Worth’s focus shifts to Baja desert racing as he and Paul Weel cut up the #46 Trophy Truck in SCORE underneath the Crew Australia banner; their co-driver Kellon Walch additionally has W2RC expertise because the navigator for Mitch Guthrie. Abysmal luck plagued the group in 2023 with mechanical points that compelled them to retire from three of 4 occasions, they usually lastly reached the end within the finale on the Baja 1000 with Larry Roeseler as their team-mate.
Whereas the SCORE programme just isn’t essentially foreshadowing future rally raid plans, Worth has expressed curiosity in racing a automotive within the self-discipline ought to a chance come up. Though his success on two wheels is apparent, he actually is aware of his approach round on 4 as properly, having received the final three Finke Desert Races in a Mitsubishi Trophy Truck and boasting a race victory and 6 podiums within the Stadium Tremendous Vans. Worth had lobbied to Mitsubishi to revive their Dakar Rally effort, however failed and selected to finish his manufacturing facility cope with them in October in order that he wouldn’t be held again by obligations with them if one other marque comes knocking.
The 2024 SCORE season begins Saturday with the San Felipe 250. Worth and Weel received the pole on the 2023 version however dropped out when their manifold absolute strain sensor broke early on.
