"This race represents a turning point in my life"
Crew facts
- Tosha Schareina with Monster Energy Honda HRC is one of the leading contenders in the Dakar motorcycle category. No Spanish rider has won the Dakar motorcycle category since Marc Coma secured the last of his five “Touaregs” in 2015. Tosha wants to do it in the 2026 Dakar.
- The 30-year-old rider heads into this Dakar full of confidence and ambition after finishing runner-up in 2025, where he fought for victory right to the end despite injuring his collarbone in a crash on stage 5 and suffering another crash later on. The Spaniard was consistently among the leaders in each stage and finished 8m50s behind the winner. He proved that he is ready to battle for victory.
- His runner-up finish in 2025 came after his debut as a Honda factory rider in the 2024 Dakar Rally, which he had to abandon early on with a broken wrist. After a fantastic return to competition following his recovery from injury, he rode at a high level and climbed back up to third place in the 2024 FIM W2RC World Championship. In 2025, after his injury at the Dakar Rally, he won four of the six stages in Abu Dhabi, but a poor strategy prevented him from winning. He then underwent collarbone surgery, but his recovery did not go well, and he arrived in South Africa in poor condition, where he had to drop out. After that, he returned to his best form and physical condition, fighting for victory in the World Championship round in Portugal and winning the Morocco Rally, climbing to second place in the final W2RC World Championship standings, proving that he is ready to fight for victory in the 2026 Dakar.
- Born in Valencia, although with a German first and last name from his father, he grew up in a modest family. His mother worked in the hospitality industry and did not have the money to help Tosha dream of becoming a racing rider. His maternal uncle gave him a motorbike when he was a child, and from there he progressed in competition thanks to the help of friends and many people who selflessly supported him.
- Schareina's story is inspiring because of his persistence in pursuing his dream. In 2021, in his Dakar debut, he demonstrated his talent, finishing 13th overall and second among rookies. He was set to establish himself in 2022, but did not enter in time. A year off could have halted his progress, but he turned up at the 2023 Dakar Rally eager to excel as a privateer. Despite tendonitis in his throttle hand, he recovered and was consistently among the favourites with an inferior bike during the second week. Honda offered him a factory bike to compete in the Sonora Rally as a test. Tosha took a chance but couldn't handle the pressure: he finished second in his first test with HRC in a W2RC world championship event. And in the second, in the W2RC's Desafío Ruta 40, he won. He's ready to go for victory in the Dakar.
Ambition
T.S.M.: "The 2025 Dakar was very tough. I had a crash before the rest day that slowed me down, and I had to survive the second week. Despite this, I had some good battles with Daniel Sanders and the other riders. We entered the Empty Quarter fighting for a place in the top three, and I won the stage, which helped me secure second place overall. Finishing runner-up in those conditions was incredible. After the World Championship round in Abu Dhabi, we decided to have collarbone surgery to get it back to perfect condition. But the recovery didn't go well, and I wasn't in good shape for the third round of the World Championship in South Africa. After that, I recovered, and the end of the year was good. We fought with Sanders to win the Rally Portugal, and I made a navigation error when I was in the lead and opening the stage. In the Morocco Rally, what we needed happened: I won. I was fastest on three of the five stages, and it was clear that we could do it. It was our first victory of the year, which was great for building momentum for the Dakar. We're going for it."
Winning the Dakar would be a dream come true. It sounds very typical, but it is, because for me the significance of this rally is a change in my life —from just surviving to trying to find my place in this sport, to finally getting there. I've always dreamed of racing it since I was a little boy. I never thought about winning it. I've been chasing it for a long time, and now I want to win. The goal is to finish as high up the standings as possible, fighting for victory. But I'm taking it as I always do: I'll take it day by day, because a thousand things can happen in the Dakar. I always keep my feet on the ground, but you have to go for it. What's more, this year's Dakar promises to be highly competitive. There are many riders capable of doing well, winning stages, and finishing at the top. But we have everything we need to be at the front and for the win.”
