Xavier de Soultrait and Co-Pilot Martin Bonnet Navigated the Polaris RZR Pro R Factory to Two Stage Wins in Route to the Overall SSV T4 Category Victory
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – January 20, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Polaris Off Road made a triumphant return to the winner’s circle at the 46th Edition of the Dakar Rally, securing the prestigious Side-by-Side Vehicle (SSV) T4 class victory in partnership with Sebastien Loeb Racing (SLR). The two-week-long race through the harsh and unforgiving terrain of Saudi Arabia was an intense, heart-pounding grind to the finish, but Xavier de Soultrait and co-pilot Martin Bonnet were more than up to the task, navigating their Polaris-engineered RZR Pro R Factory flawlessly. The duo secured two stage wins (plus the Prologue), five stop three finishes and three additional top five. Soultrait completed the grueling 4,903-mile (7,891km) race in 56H 37’ 43”, finishing two and a half-minutes ahead of second place. The triumph is a testament to the combined power of the SLR team’s skill and perseverance, the engineering prowess of Polaris and the superiority of the Polaris RZR Pro R Factory.
In the SSV class race, Soultrait established himself as a strong contender by securing the prologue win. He maintained his momentum in the first two stages, finishing fifth and second respectively and moving up to third place overall, the RZR Pro R Factory immediately establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in the unforgiving terrain of Dakar. However, stage three was a challenge for Soultrait and Bonnet, finishing 10th and dropping to the eighth position. From then on, Soultrait set his intentions firmly on navigating a relentless climb to the top, finishing third in stage four and securing his first win in stage five, moving him up to sixth place in the general standings. After the first-ever 48-hour Chrono stage in Dakar’s history, Soultrait and the Polaris RZR Pro R Factory emerged as winners from the Empty Quarter dunes, moving him up to third place overall.
After a much-needed rest day, the competition resumed with stage seven, where Soultrait’s consistent finishes paid off as he secured second-place, moving him to the top of the overall standings and putting him in a position to battle for the event win. With the RZR Pro R Factory consistently performing at the highest level, the French duo continued to post solid podium results, taking second in stages eight and nine to extend their lead in the…
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