Andrew Houlihan is ready to make his return to the Dakar Rally in 2025 after three years away from the race. He acquired his acceptance letter from the Amaury Sport Organisation final week.
Houlihan intends to compete within the Unique by Motul class, a subcategory of Rally2 for riders with out help from groups.
He made his Dakar début in 2021, the place he completed fiftieth total. He returned in 2022 following a tumultuous yr during which lots of his scheduled races and even his journey to Saudi Arabia for the race had been impacted by COVID-19; nonetheless, his second try ended midway.
Regardless of hopes to run the Dakar for 5 straight years, Houlihan didn’t participate within the 2023 version. Nonetheless, he remained concerned by competing within the FIM Bajas World Cup the place he completed sixth in factors and runner-up for the Veterans Trophy; he had led the latter, reserved for riders over the age of 45, earlier than a ruptured quadricep tendon sidelined him for the ultimate two races which allowed Pedro Bianchi Prata to leapfrog him for the title.
He started the 2024 season by ending ninth on the Saudi Baja; Houlihan elected to enter the race on the final minute after being cleared by medical doctors. This was adopted by a seventeenth on the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura.
As an Australian primarily competing in Africa and Eurasia, Houlihan has needed to make lengthy travels to get to races. For instance, his summer time stretch final season entailed going from his dwelling in New South Wales to Melbourne, flew to Qatar, took one other flight to Barcelona for the Baja España Aragón, then again to Australia for a week-long break earlier than heading again to Europe for the Hungarian Baja. To this finish, his rally expertise consists of racing in occasions just like the Hellas Rally Raid in Greece, the place he was hospitalised for a month after a large crash in 2018, the Rallye du Maroc and Pan Africa Rally in 2019, and the Africa Eco Race in 2020.
An announcement from Motorcycling Australia begins, “Australia has its first entry into the 2025 Dakar Rally – seasoned Albury desert campaigner Andrew Houlihan!
“He’ll compete within the brutal and creature comfort-less ‘Unique By Motul’ (previously Malle Moto) class, too, the place’s there’s no outdoors help, mechanical help or any assist. As a substitute, Andrew’s ‘armoury’ will include a tent, sleeping bag and 80-litre crate to hold spare elements in. As well as, he’ll do his personal mechanical work and repairs.
“And the course gained’t provide any respite: Dakar 2025 could have extra sand dunes than ever earlier than within the Ar Rub’ al Khali, or Empty Quarter, which spans 650,000 sq. kilometres.
“Andrew is now actively in search of help to assist him get onto the startline for the January 3-17 occasion. For extra data and particulars on the totally different tiers of sponsorship packages, e-mail Andrew at [email protected].”
The 2025 Dakar Rally runs on 3–17 January.
