Honda HRC Rally’s Schareina wins Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Prologue, teammate Brabec 3rd

Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally’s Tosha Schareina got things rolling in the right direction at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Round 2 of the 2025 FIM World Rally Raid Championship, on Saturday as he scored a 1^st place finish in the Prologue race, which sets the qualifying order for the first of five ADDC stages beginning on Sunday. And joining Schareina on the Prologue podium was his Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally teammate, Ricky Brabec, who placed 3^rd.

Just a click off the podium, in the Prologue’s 4^th position, was defending WRRC champion, Ross Branch with the Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy team. And rounding out the top ten for Monster Energy were Skyler Howes (Honda) in 6^th, Jose “Nacho” Cornejo (Hero) in 7^th and the 2023 ADDC champion, Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) in 9^th.

Coming off a strong runner-up finish in last month’s Dakar Rally, and doing despite a snapped collarbone that he suffered in a spectacular high side/high speed crash on Dakar’s Stage 9, Schareina was pleased with his effort early on in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge’s Prologue race.

“From the beginning I realized it was going to be pretty sketchy. The terrain was not easy,” said Schareina, who clocked a time of 6:53.4 in the short (11 km Special, 58 km Liaison) Prologue route. “Slippery in some parts, and the navigation was somewhat tricky. But I tried to push from the beginning, focus on the navigation and ride smooth. And yeah, we did it.”

Added Brabec: “Yeah, first day of competition here in Abu Dhabi. Short, only 11 kilometer Special. But it feels good to get some race speed under our belts before the real race starts. 3^rd in the Prologue gets us a pretty good start position for tomorrow. We’re healthy. We’re happy. And we’re on the right track, looking forward to a good five days in the sand box.”

For the defending WRRC overall champion, Branch, finishing today’s Prologue with a strong result was important given the fact he exited last month’s Dakar Rally early after a nasty crash. “It’s been a long couple of weeks,” he said, referring to his time reflecting on Dakar and getting himself back in race shape for Abu Dhabi. “A frustrating couple of weeks for sure. You never know where you are when you’re sitting at home on your couch, watching everybody ride Dakar and having a good time on their motorcycle you feel like you’re really missing out.

“But happy to be back here with the boys. So good to see the Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy rally family last night. It’s an amazing feeling. Win or lose, it’s a win to be back here.”

Prologue Notes:

• For Van Beveren, who won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge the last time he raced it (’23), a navigational miscalculation relegated his usual podium speed to an uncharacteristic 9^th place Prologue position. “I missed one waypoint and just discovered that at the next corner,” he explained. “Turned around and went back, maybe one kilometer. But in a short race like this it cost me a lot of time.”
• The Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally team’s starting positions for the ADDC’s Stage 1 will be Schareina in 10^th, Brabec in 8^th, Howes in 5^th and Van Beveren in 2^nd. For Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy, it’ll be Branch starting 6^th and Cornejo in the 4^th starting slot.
• The ADDC Prologue stage was nearly 80-percent sand terrain, split up by some dirt/soil and the entrances and exits from the Liaison sections. The Prologue was run through the Jebel Hafit Desert Park.
• Stage 1, which runs a total of 400 kilometers (243 Special, 157 Liaison) between Al Ain and Mezaira’a, features much of the same terrain conditions (namely sand) that were showcased in the Prologue.
• Bit of race history… The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, in its 3^rd year on the FIM World Rally Raid Championship schedule, first ran in 1991. Founded by Emirati motorsport great and current FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the event, known as the “Marlboro Desert Challenge” in the early days, is organized by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO), in cooperation with the FIA and FIM WRRC sanctioning bodies.
• By the numbers… The 34^th addition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will feature 165 bikes, cars and, for the first time on the WRRC schedule this season, quads. 30-some countries will be represented at the ADDC.

Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Results

Prologue

1^st – Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda), 6:53.4

3^rd – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda), 7:06:4

4^th – Branch (Hero/Monster Energy), 7:09.5

6^th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda), 7:12.7

7^th – Cornejo (Hero/Monster Energy), 7:31.0

9^th – Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda), 7:41.6

Monster Energy WRRC Motorcycle Standings (after Round 1, Dakar)

Place/Name/Team

2^nd – Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda)              

3^rd – Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda)                     

5^th – Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda)

6^th – Skyler Howes (Monster Energy/Honda)

7^th – Jose “Nacho” Cornejo (Hero/Monster Energy)

Up next…

FIM World Rally-Raid Championship open the first of five stages of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on Sunday with the opening Stage 1 of the competition. Monster Energy-backed racers will begin in Al Ain and run some 400 kilometers of Special and Liaison routes to Mezaira’a. For more information, including “Live” timing and scoring, visit www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com