Dakar hardman Toby Price has signed a two-year contract extension that will see the popular Australian remain with the Red Bull KTM team until the end of the 2023 season.
Price will continue to focus on the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, and of course the Dakar Rally, as he starts his seventh season with the squad.
āIām super-excited to sign up for another two years with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team. It feels like a big family to me and is definitely a home away from home, so another two years with the guys is certainly something Iām looking forward to,” said Price.
“Hopefully, I can repay the confidence they have in me by taking another few wins. There really is no other team like Red Bull KTM, they really take good care of us and I really look forward to getting away to the events.
“The whole team and crew have been a huge part of my racing for the past four or five years, so Iām really happy to still be a part of it, and weāre developing the new bike too, which is going well. My injury seems to be healing well. There were definitely some unwanted complications at first, but now after three surgeries Iām in a much better place.
“Iād say Iām around 60-70 per cent fit, so not far away from being ready to go. Iām definitely looking forward to getting back on two wheels and racing my bike again. The plan is to get back on the bike as soon as itās safe to do so and build things up before heading back overseas to do some racing again. The goal over the next two years is to definitely add another Dakar title to my name, and if I can add two, that would be even better.ā
A two-time winner of the Dakar Rally, Price began his racing career in motocross before making the move to enduro. Enjoying huge success at home in Australia, Price holds five Australian Off-Road Championship titles, as well as several wins at the notorious Finke and Hattah desert races.
He represented his country at the ISDE in 2014, placing second in the overall, individual rider standings. The talented racer then contested his first Dakar in 2015, where he placed an impressive third on the podium. Since then he has ridden the Dakar every year, finishing no lower than third every time he has finished the arduous event.
Contesting his seventh consecutive Dakar in 2021, Price was the leading KTM rider at the close of stage eight. A crash 155km into stage nine unfortunately resulted in a shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from the event. Following a period of rehab and recovery, where the 33-year-old underwent three separate surgeries, the twice Dakar winner is now close to being ready to start his preparations for racing again.
