2022 Andalucia Rally: Prologue highlights – Sunderland sets the pace

Video highlights from a short and fast opening prologue at the 2022 Andalucia Rally, the final round of the World Rally-Raid Championship where Sam Sunderland set the fastest time ahead of Kevin Benavides and Adrien Van Beveren.

Despite admitting he is more at home in the dunes and sand, Sam Sunderland (GASGAS Factory Racing) claimed fastest time in day one’s qualifying stage raced over nine kilometres just outside Seville.

The two times Dakar winning Brit was clearly keen to stamp his authority on the race right from the start and set the favourable start position for the week ahead.

2020 Andalucía Rally winner Kevin Benavides (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) with Frenchman Adrien van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda) third.

In Rally2 victory went to Slovenian outsider Toni Mulec (TS Racing) ahead of World Championship regulars Bradley Cox (BAS KTM World Racing) and his teammate, the recently crowned Rally2 champion Mason Klein. Fastest in Rally3 was French enduro rider Jeremy Miroir (DB Motors).

Stage 1A results (test times are multiplied by 8):  

Rally2

STAGE 1B (first stage proper) details:

Liason: 145km / SS: 319 km (69%) / total: 464 km

Race director, David Castera: “The first stage around Seville is very similar to the terrain encountered on the two previous editions of the Andalucía Rally. There will be these fast tracks between the wheat fields and olive trees, hilly and sometimes twist – the route is mainly over dirt tracks. It is a stage that will allow the competitors to find their feet.”