Dakar Rally champion Sam Sunderland has set his sights on a new world record attempt. The British driver unveiled his latest sporting mission during the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed - becoming the fastest person who can around the world on a motorcycle.
After a glorious rally career in which he won the Dakar Rally twice – the world’s heaviest off -roadrace – in 2017 and 2022, the rider established in Dubai set his sights on breaking the current record of 19 days, 8 hours and 25 minutes that Kevin and Julia Sanders established in 2002.
In order to achieve his goal within the required time, the 36-year-old has to travel almost 1600 kilometers every day for 19 days, on average the length of Great Britain. Sunderland departs from London on his Triumph 1200 Rally Explorer in September and it will cost him about 30 days, including flights and crossings, to bridge 15 countries and the different time zones worldwide.
During the first stage of a global adventure in six stages from his birthplace England, he will cross Europe to Türkiye and then drive to the heart of the Middle East, where he traveled about 2000 kilometers from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates, where he spends a lot of time.
After a long-distance transfer, the expedition continues through the remote Australian Outback and the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand and then to the north to tackle the vast terrains of the US and Canada.
When North America is over, his path leads to Morocco – his entrance gate to Africa – before he returns to Europe through southern Spain and eventually sprint home, to the United Kingdom and hopefully a world record.
Sunderlands challenge remains loyal to the parameters of the record that was established 23 years ago, because according to these conditions his target time excludes ocean crossings, whereby the official clock is stopped.
His journey must be continuously and go around the earth in one direction, start and finish at the same location, touch two antipodal points and cover at least 29,000 kilometers. He has to do all this on the same engine – a loyal Triumph 1200 Rally Explorer.
The ultimate test of endurance, the challenge is a test of both physical and mental power, in which the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid champion defies the elements, road conditions and unknown terrain.
As a motorcyclist, but also as a father and adventurer, Sunderland wants to inspire people around the world to go on an adventure, push their boundaries and to define what they think is possible.
“I know that this challenge will test me to the bone – physically and mentally. There will be days when I am on the road for 15 or 16 hours, in the cold and rain, heat and humidity, fighting the wind, fighting against exhaustion and mental fatigue. This, plus a jet lag and crazy time zones – it will be tough.”
The Dakar Rally takes around 5000 kilometers and the participants drive around 300 to 560 kilometers in 10 to 15 days. To break the world record, Sunderland has to cover double the daily Dakar kilometers over more days and in 13 different time zones. He gets the help of the current record holders Kevin and Julia Sanders.
“Records are meant to break. We did this more than 20 years ago – Sam will be faced with a whole series of new challenges compared to then. When people with a company in the motorcycle world, it is always exciting to see how riders take on new challenges or challenge old challenges! We are very curious how Sam will do it.”
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.