
Brilliant Botturi Completes Epic Africa Eco Race In Second
Brilliant Botturi Completes Epic Africa Eco Race In Second
The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team’s Alessandro Botturi, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), reached the finish line of the 2025 Africa Eco Race alongside the famous Lac Rose in Dakar to complete the event in second and bring to a close a remarkable and dramatic rally.
After suffering from terrible luck on the final timed special the day before, which saw Botturi 20 km away from winning the 16th edition of the Africa Eco Race (AER) before his bike got caught up in some plastic netting that meant he missed out on victory by just 26 seconds, the Italian made the most of the picturesque Stage 12.
Although the times on the final special do not count towards the general classification, Stage 12 is still a cherished part of the AER.
The competitors begin with the traditional group start on the beach before reaching the official finish line 22 km later on the shores of the legendary “Pink Lake.”
Botturi, who had immediately congratulated his rival Jacopo Cerutti at the finish line, despite the despairing nature of the way he missed out on victory, showcasing the respect, sportsmanship and spirit of rally raid, used all of the power of his Ténéré World Raid GYTR to ensure he reached the finish line first in a time of 11 minutes and 57 seconds.
It was a fitting end to an incredible rally, with the sensational race-long duel between the two Italians capturing the imagination of fans worldwide.
To finish just 26 seconds behind Cerutti, who was also riding a twin-cylinder adventure bike, after over 5,500 km and more than 36 hours of racing, may have been hard to take, but it was all smiles as the riders reached the ceremonial podium to celebrate what had been an incredible two weeks.
The official start of the AER was on December 28th in Monaco.
After a two-day boat ride from Marseille to Tangier, the rally traversed Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal, with nothing separating the pair throughout the 11 days of racing as both riders won four stages each.
The two-time AER winner, who had to ride alone after his teammate Pol Tarrés unfortunately crashed out on just the second stage, was not the only Yamaha to impress.
Showcasing the competitiveness and ability of the standard Ténéré World Raid machine, Ténéré Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Nicolas Charlier wowed everyone with his sensational victory on Stage 5 as the Belgian demonstrated to the world not only his potential but that of the bike too; and it meant that Yamaha won five stages out of 11 plus that there was a Ténéré on the podium in all but one stage.
His fellow TSE teammate, Jarno D’Orsogna, also impressed as he secured a podium on Stage 6, with the Italian enjoying a superb rally, while Thierry Traccan, Christophe Meilat and Laurent Cochet made it six Ténéré’s in the top 50 of the Race class as they all reached the finish line in Dakar.
It was not just about the racing in this year’s AER. Four TSE riders also participated in the Raid category, which involved riding slightly less challenging stages each day without the pressure of racing against the clock, with all four making it to the finish.
To top off what was an incredible rally for all involved, Mr. Dakar himself, Stéphane Peterhansel, who won the famous rally 14 times (six with Yamaha), joined the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team for the last four stages, riding alongside the TSE customers in the Raid class to ensure an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Next for the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team will be the Carta Rallye, as they return to Morocco to race in the event for the first time from the 14th to the 20th of April.
Alessandro Botturi – P2 Overall – 36h15m36s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It is always a pleasure to end the race alongside the legendary Lac Rose here in Dakar, as it is so historic. I always get emotional when I reach the finish line here, especially after such an incredible rally. It was an epic duel between myself and Jacopo, and while I would have loved to have won, he deserved it just as much as I did, and this is rally, whereas we know anything can happen. The team has been incredible, and I could not have asked for more, so I want to thank each and every one of them for doing an incredible job and Yamaha Motor Europe for providing me with the perfect bike. After such a long and demanding event, it will be nice to get some rest, but I will be back ready to challenge for victory once more at the Carta Rallye in April.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“What an amazing way to finish such an incredible rally. Botturi gave it everything during these last two weeks and was so unlucky, but on reflection, it is still amazing to finish second and be on the podium again at the AER. The team have been incredible despite the arduous nature of this rally, and once again, the Ténéré World Raid GYTR never missed a beat. I am very proud of the Ténéré Spirit Experience riders, too, not just in the Race category but also in the Raid. They were great ambassadors for Yamaha. Nicolas’ stage win was a very special moment and showed how good he and the standard bike are. Jarno also secured a stage podium, and to have six Ténérés complete the race, plus four finish the Raid class, as well as Stéphane joining us for the last four stages, it was a very proud moment for us to have 11 bikes all reach the finish line in Dakar. Now, it is time to recover, and we will immediately turn our focus to the next event, the Carta Rallye, so that we can be as prepared as possible.”
Yamaha Racing