“I have the desire and hunger to win”

Pablo Quintanilla rode a solid 2023 Dakar, finishing just off the podium in P4. He was the best finisher in his team and was content with his performance, even if it was not the result he had in mind. Mechanical problems prevented him from showing his true potential in the W2RC championship, but Honda's championship title won by Honda reinforced the team's confidence. The debut of the new bike in Morocco confirmed his positivity for the calendar's main event. His race pace allowed him to fine-tune details, to get to grips with the machine, and to add mileage to his programme. Looking back over his brilliant career, Pablo made his Dakar debut in 2013, and from the very first stage, he showed his pace and speed, finishing in third place. But an accident prevented him from reaching the finish. There was more disappointment for the Chilean in 2014, as an errant stone hit his hand, fracturing his knuckles at the end of stage three. He was among the standouts of the 2015 Dakar. He was in fourth place after the first week. He won the gruelling Uyuni stage and fought for a podium result, neck-and-neck with Toby Price, before eventually finishing fourth. As a factory Husqvarna rider in 2016, Pablo reached the coveted Dakar podium in third place and scored a stage win. Towards the end of that year, Pablo won his first of two consecutive World Cross Country Rally Championship titles. In 2019, he was in a battle for the lead with Toby Price but crashed heavily just 100 km before the finish line. He suffered a double ankle fracture But, in an impressive show of character, managed to finish P4. In 2020, in the first Dakar in Saudi Arabia, Pablo won two stages and tried to close the gap to Ricky Brabec, but in the end, he finished second, 16 minutes behind the American. In 2021, Pablo encountered many problems throughout the race and wasn't satisfied with the bike's set-up. He was not happy with the P7 result. He also experienced two difficult moments when Toby Price and Luciano Benavides crashed, and he had to assist his Argentinean teammate. In May of that year, Honda announced the signing of Quintanilla, who thus ended a five-year relationship with Husqvarna. The Chilean's debut with the Japanese manufacturer came at the Rally Andalucía, where he finished third. His ability to quickly adapt to the bike and team was rewarded with victory in the Rally of Morocco. Then came the heart-stopping drama of the 2022 Dakar Motorcycle category. Pablo Quintanilla began the short 164 km final stage 6m52s behind leader Sam Sunderland. Although the Chilean was faster at almost all the checkpoints, it was not enough, and he came up three minutes shy of glory. “Quintafondo” returns with the desire and hunger to win.

P.Q.: “I rode well overall in the last Dakar, and I gave 100%, which allowed me to battle at the sharp end of the general classification with a solid pace throughout the rally. However, in a rally like the Dakar, there are always factors or situations that you can't control, which didn't allow us to fight for victory, which is always the goal and what we prepare for during the year.”
“Then I had a difficult season in the different W2RC rounds. Mechanical problems were a problem. We know that racing is like that, but the most important thing was to learn as much as possible and gain experience and knowledge ahead of the tremendous challenge of the 2024 Dakar. I felt very comfortable on the new bike in Morocco. I could ride at the pace I wanted. The rally suited me very well. I felt fast and strong with the navigation and speed I showed. That was a confidence boost and a fantastic omen for the 2024 Dakar. Now, with the pre-Dakar tests, we will arrive better prepared and with a better understanding of the new bike”.
“The Dakar is always a complicated and tough event. There are many factors that influence performance during the stages. I am confident that I can fight at the front and always with the desire and hunger to win”.