Image: Supplied.

Australian fan-favourite Toby Price will return to racing this weekend at the Atacama Rally for round three of the 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, marking his first rally appearance since claiming an incredible second-career Dakar Rally victory with a broken wrist in January.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ace was forced to undergo further surgery on his wrist following his Dakar triumph, prompting him to sit out the first two rounds of the rally series, ultimately denying him the chance of defending his world title.

Price, who’s raced a number of auto-related motorsport events this year including the Finke Desert Race, is utilising the Chilean rally to ease his way back into the discipline and gain valuable seat time.

“I’m looking forward to being back on the bike and setting up for the Atacama Rally, it’s been a few months since my last race at Dakar,” Price commented. “We’re getting prepped and organised for the event now and I’m really excited. I’m not expecting too much from the race or myself, it’s just good to get some time on the bike and do some roadbook stuff and training.

“If we come back safe and I have no issues with the wrist then we can start to push for the last round in Morocco. Hopefully, good times ahead and I’m looking forward to it!”

The Atacama Rally commences with the prologue on Monday, 2 September, followed by five days of racing with the stages covering a total of 1685 kilometres, 1346 of which are timed specials.