“My goal is a two-year plan to get back fully fit and competitive”
RIDER FACTS
M.L.
- Manuel Lucchese competed in the Dakar four times mainly in the Original by Motul category, with best-result of P3 in 2016 (49th overall).
- From 2018, he shifted to codriving in SSV with Ahmed Alkuwari. After delays caused by injuries and COVID-19, they took part in Dakar in 2023, finishing P17 in T3 with a best stage finish of P7.
- He won the 2012 FIM 450 World Cup, finished second in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, and the 2014 Italian Bajas title.
- From 2022 to 2023, he was the manager of Yamaha’s Ténéré World Raid Team.
AMBITIONS 2025:
M.L : “My last Dakar as a rider was in 2017. At the end of 2020, I became project manager for Yamaha Europe, focusing on the development of the GYTR Tenere. By 2022, I switched to become the team manager of the Official Yamaha Tenere Rally Team. Due to contractual reasons, I was not able to race at the Dakar as a rider, but I had the opportunity to go to the Dakar 2023 as a codriver with Yamaha. Racing in an SSV was something I had on my bucket list, and we managed to reach the finish line alongside my Qatari friend Ahmed Alkuwari. After that edition, I was free to plan a return to the race as a rider and I had the Dakar 2024 in my head. However, just a few weeks into my bike training, I suffered a terrible injury, tearing three ligaments in my knee. After a surgery and one-year recovery, I had to postpone my Dakar ambitions to 2025. This year, I’ve been able to start riding again, but I haven’t participated in any rallies or desert training; I’ve only ridden motocross. My goal is a two-year plan to get back fully fit and competitive. Dakar 2025 will be about getting back in the game and regaining experience, while Dakar 2026 is where I’ll aim to fight for victory in the Original by Motul.”
