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A new chapter in Eduard Pons' Dakar adventure. The driver from Lleida is now ready to face his second participation in the toughest race in the world, this time as the brand new winner of the FIA World Cup in the Challenger category and third overall, a milestone that places him among the favorites in his class in the next Saudi event.
On this occasion, Pons Rallysport will be backed by Nasser Racing, the structure of the multi-champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, which he has joined in the final part of his successful season. After a 2024 full of kilometers and learning on international stages, the team has been working hard to fine-tune every detail for the 47th edition of the Dakar.
The Taurus T3 Max is shaping up to be one of the most competitive machines in Challenger. The reliability and the improvements introduced after the 2024 campaign will be decisive to face the tough stages proposed by the route of this edition. Pons highlights the hard work of the team in preparing the car: “We are running with a 100% new vehicle, with all the key evolutions tested, especially in terms of cooling, radiators, ventilation and water and differential temperature. With this unit, in the development of which Nasser Al-Attiyah himself has participated, the guarantee of success increases considerably. It is a structure that has a winning mentality and I really enjoy it since I have been driving a Taurus of the team”.
Once again, he will be accompanied by Jaume Betriu, who repeats as co-driver in this challenge. Born in Coll de Nargó (Lleida), Betriu was the best rookie (14th) in bikes in the Dakar 2020 and has an outstanding career in the world of enduro, where he has accumulated a total of eleven national titles (three absolute, two in E2 and six in E3), as well as two runner-up in the E3 world championship. His experience in navigation, extensive knowledge of mechanics and strategic racing skills make him a key figure for the team.
In their second participation together, Pons and Betriu have set themselves the ambitious goal of fighting for a leading position in their category. The rider from Lleida is aware of the toughness of the race and the high level of his rivals, but he is confident in the preparation of the structure and the accumulated kilometers to take a step forward compared to last year. Thanks to his Gold driver status, obtained after winning the FIA Lowland World Cup title, he will have the advantage of having priority in the starting order. This factor, coupled with his entry in the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025, gives him a key opportunity to place himself in more advanced positions from the start.
“Our goal is to reach the Top 5 in Challenger. We have to start the race more conservatively so as not to strain the mechanics in the first week and increase the pace in the final stretch. The first stages will be very complicated. The terrain is very hard and rocky and, in addition, the second stage will be 48 hours long, followed by the marathon stage. This will be a critical point that, once we get over it and get to the rest day, we will be able to go more relaxed. If we are regular, I think that being in the top five is a realistic goal”.
The driver from Lleida combines the experience of more than three decades in rallying with the hunger of someone who knows he is in a very good sporting moment. Behind him, he accumulates two titles of champion of Spain of Rallyes of Earth in the Senior category (2018 and 2019), one of the S-CER in Silver (2021), four of absolute champion of Catalonia of rallies (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) and one of the Aragon Championship of the specialty (2017), in addition to being finisher of the Dakar 2024 in SSV. The recently won championship gives him extra confidence, but also the caution required by a competition as unpredictable as the Dakar.
In addition to being a driver, Eduard Pons is CEO of a company dedicated to the agri-food industry, specializing in oil and wine, with more than four generations of history. Combining this facet with motor racing is not always easy: “The Dakar requires maximum commitment, as does business management. My family is key in this balance, because they understand my passion for the sport and are also involved in the business,” he explains. This balance, although demanding, is what gives him the tools to take on his next challenge with the maximum possible preparation and confidence.
The Dakar Rally 2025 promises to be one of the toughest editions in recent years, with a route of more than 5,000 timed kilometers that will test the endurance of the participants and their machines. It will start on January 3 from Bisha, a town in the southwest of Saudi Arabia, and will end on January 17 in Shubaytah, in the Empty Quarter, after a total of 12 stages and 14 days of competition. With the bib number 309, Pons Rallysport is determined to prove that experience and teamwork are key to reach the finish line and even a prominent place in the standings.
Automatic translation of the Spanish version
Source: Pons Rallysport / Mediagé Comunicación
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