HONDA

Valencia native Tosha Schareina is an example of riders dreaming of competing in the Dakar with a factory team to follow. No matter how difficult or distant it may seem, with hard work, effort and much talent, it is possible. In his Dakar debut in 2021, he showed his class, finishing 13th overall and the second-best rookie in the motorbike category. He was due to be confirmed in 2022 but did not arrive in time to join the project he started with Jorge Martínez Aspar. A year away from competition could have cut short his progression, but Tosha showed up at the 2023 Dakar, determined to excel as a privateer. The first week was tough, hampered by tendinitis in his gas hand. But in the second week, he overcame the pain and was consistently among the frontrunners on an inferior bike. He had earned a factory ride, and that opportunity was given to him by Honda. They offered him a "pata negra" bike to compete in the Sonora Rally. Tosha was gambling, but it's when the pressure is on that the big stars shine. Schareina finished runner-up in his maiden race with HRC in a W2RC World Championship event. In the following race, he won the Desafío Ruta 40 in W2RC. He finished 5th in the Rally of Morocco and arrives at the 2024 Dakar, his third participation in the toughest rally-raid in the world, among the favourites. It is no longer a surprise. Tosha Schareina should fight for the win or the podium in his first year as an official HRC rider with the Monster Energy Honda Team.