Source: Supplied.

Last year’s Australian Off-Road Championship winner Daniel Sanders has announced he has departed the KTM Factory Racing World Enduro Championship (WEC) team following the 2017 season, poised to return home as a result.

Sanders endured a difficult first full season in Europe this year, taking eighth in the Enduro 2 standings and citing a difficult campaign that has prompted him to return to Australia next year.

“After eight years of racing KTM, it hurts to say my career has come to a end with the orange brand and [I’m] changing to a new colour,” Sanders revealed. “My two-year contract I had with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team in Europe, I have had a mutual termination of contract with the company. It’s a different life over there and I couldn’t thank everyone enough who has got me to the world stage.

“Unfortunately it was not what I expected with results and other situations which were out of my control… That’s how it goes up the top-end, which nobody sees from the outside of the racing until you go over there and have a crack – it was an experience that I only dreamed of, but it was not like a dream!

“The world scene isn’t over for me. I just got very unlucky with the year and how the Enduro World Championship had changed with classes, venues and weather. I’d love to go back when a lot of things change over there. If it doesn’t happen again, at least I can say I had a crack, finished every race and made some awesome friends. Until then I’ll be back here racing… stay tuned for the next chapter.”

It’s not yet been announced what Sanders will do in 2018, however it’s tipped that he will once again be a legitimate threat for the AORC crown after a dominant outright season in 2016.