Dubai: KTM, one of the world’s leading sport motorcycle manufacturers, announced its full return to the Middle East racing scene on Tuesday by unveiling the KTM UAE Racing Team, which includes global and regional stars such as Mohammad Al Beloushi and Sam Sunderland.
The team, which consists of 19 riders from the UAE and around the world, is set to compete in the 2014-2015 Emirates Desert Championship, Dubai Motocross Championship and GCC Motocross Championship, as well as the 2015 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
It will also make its track debut in the UAE Superbike Championship and an entry level street racing programme will be introduced as a further Middle East debut later this season.
The orange-liveried KTM UAE team will be spearheaded by two-time Arab motocross champion and leading Emirati rider Al Beloushi and rising international star Sam Sunderland. They will be joined by the likes of Mohammed Jaffar, Abdullah Al Shatti, Jake Shipton, Nicolas Kefford, Clinton Wyngard and Jordan Cabaud.
Al Beloushi is a two-time UAE Motocross champion and also has two Arab Motocross Championships to his name. He became the first Emirati to take on the world-famous Dakar Rally on a motorbike in 2012.
UAE-based motocross rider Sunderland, 24, is one of the most promising riders in the international off-road racing scene following his participations in recent Dakar Rally events as well as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which he only missed out on winning in 2013 on a technicality.
Al Beloushi said: “It’s a great honour to be part of the new KTM UAE Racing Team in what promises to be an exciting comeback season for everyone involved. It is great to be back in KTM orange again.
“We undoubtedly have a very strong rider line-up across a number of disciplines and I’m hoping to achieve some great results this season, which will build the foundation for future successes.
“Having other local riders as part of the team is fantastic as it highlights the strength of Emirati racing and the talent pool that this country possesses, both now and for the years to come.”
