Cycle News Staff | April 27, 2021
Rally star Pablo Quintanilla and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Rally Team have parted company.
Star rally racer Pablo Quintanilla parted ways with Husqvarna and is possibly headed to Honda.
“Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to thank Pablo Quintanilla for his commitment, enthusiasm and successes throughout his five seasons with the team, racing both the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and the Dakar Rally,” said Husqvarna in a release. “Husqvarna Motorcycles wishes him well in his future career.”
Quintanilla won the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in 2017 and narrowly missed the podium at the 2019 Dakar Rally. He came back and finished second at Dakar in 2020.
Pela Renet, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager, said, “It’s never easy to part company with a rider that has been such an important part of our team for so many years, but in motorsport this happens. Pablo is a great rider and has contributed so much to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Before working with Pablo as Team Manager we were teammates, so to have raced alongside him and then worked and supported him, it’s been very special. Personally, and on behalf of the team and everyone involved, I want to thank Pablo for his hard work and commitment and wish him all the best for the future.”
And where will the Chilean end up? Rumors have it that he might move to Honda, which has a hole to fill with the departure of Kevin Benavides, who recently signed with KTM.
Here is the complete press release from Husqvarna:
Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to thank Pablo Quintanilla for his commitment, enthusiasm and successes throughout his five seasons with the team, racing both the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and the Dakar Rally. Husqvarna Motorcycles wishes him well in his future career.
Signing with Husqvarna Motorcycles prior to the 2016 Dakar Rally, Quintanilla immediately made his mark by claiming a stage win on his way to third overall. Later that year, the Chilean rider went on to top the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, clinching podium results in all four rounds.
Forced to retire from the 2017 Dakar, Pablo made up for his disappointment by successfully defending his world title, including a win at the challenging Atacama Rally on home soil—a race he has won no fewer than four times.
Runner-up in the world championship in 2018, Quintanilla went on to narrowly miss the podium at the 2019 Dakar by just seven minutes following over 42 hours of racing through the deserts of South America. With the remainder of his 2019 season plagued with injury, the 34-year-old came back fighting at the 2020 Dakar, claiming a runner-up finish—both his and Husqvarna Motorcycles’ best result at the tough event.
Husqvarna Motorcycles and all at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing would like to thank Pablo for all his hard work and contribution to the team and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “It’s never easy to part company with a rider that has been such an important part of our team for so many years, but in motorsport this happens. Pablo is a great rider and has contributed so much to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Before working with Pablo as Team Manager we were teammates, so to have raced alongside him and then worked and supported him, it’s been very special. Personally, and on behalf of the team and everyone involved, I want to thank Pablo for his hard work and commitment and wish him all the best for the future.”
