Al-Rajhi Takes the Lead as Sainz and Loeb Encounter Difficulties

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Toyota privateer Yazeed Al-Rajhi has taken the lead in the Dakar Rally following the first segment of the challenging 48-hour chrono stage that took place on Sunday. In close pursuit is Dacia’s Nasser Al-Attiyah, who sits in second place, as the competition heats up.

This year, ASO opted to continue with the newly introduced marathon stage format that debuted in 2024. Competitors face a grueling 947km stretch to complete over the weekend, with minimal external support allowed. This has added an extra layer of difficulty as teams strategize on how to navigate the terrain effectively while managing their resources.

Instead of simply dividing the course into two days based on distance, the competitors were tasked with covering as much ground as possible before the cut-off time of 5 PM on Sunday. They will then continue from where they left off on Monday, setting the stage for more intense competition.

The day began at around 6 AM local time in Bisha, where both Al-Rajhi and Al-Attiyah, who had started lower in the ranks after losing time during Stage 1, quickly advanced to the front. Al-Rajhi began the day in 22nd place, while Al-Attiyah was right behind in 21st, making their early performances even more commendable.

Throughout the day, Al-Rajhi mostly held onto his lead in the Overdrive-entered Toyota Hilux, though Al-Attiyah managed to briefly seize first place at the 231km marker. Nonetheless, Al-Rajhi’s familiarity with the local terrain proved pivotal as he regained the lead at the seventh checkpoint, located 373km into the stage.

Despite Al-Attiyah’s attempts to reclaim the top spot, Al-Rajhi maintained a lead of 1 minute and 19 seconds as they reached Bivouac E just ahead of the 5 PM cut-off. The two drivers will spend the night in that bivouac before resuming their competition on Monday.

While the duo received competition from various drivers earlier in the stage, they had established a significant gap before the end. Mattias Ekstrom of Ford finished the day in third place, trailing Al-Rajhi by eight minutes in the best-performing Raptor T1+. Factory Toyota driver Henk Lategan secured fourth place, leading a pack of Hilux competitors that included Overdrive’s Juan Cruz Yacopini, Guy Botterill, and Toby Price — the latter making a notable debut in the four-wheel category after his two wins on two wheels at Dakar.

Price finished the day at 16 minutes and 20 seconds behind Al-Rajhi, having transitioned successfully to driving. New Ford driver Nani Roma faced challenges on Saturday and ended up in eighth place, with Toyota’s veteran Giniel de Villiers rounding out a strong showing for the Hilux with a position inside the top 10.

Century Racing’s Mathieu Serradori and Brian Baragwanath were positioned 10th and 12th respectively, separated by the leading X-raid Mini entry from Guillaume de Mevius. On the other hand, one of the rally’s star competitors, Sebastien Loeb, experienced difficulties, stopping for approximately nine minutes due to engine issues, provisionally ending up in 15th place, over 30 minutes behind the leaders.

Fellow World Rally Championship veteran Carlos Sainz Sr encountered his own setback when his Ford Raptor flipped over in the sand at the 327km mark. With assistance from teammate Mitch Guthrie Jr., Sainz managed to upright his vehicle and continued, though he finished outside the top 20, nearly an hour behind Al-Rajhi.

As the first two days of the 2025 Dakar Rally concluded, Al-Rajhi and Al-Attiyah firmly hold the top positions in the overall standings, while Lategan remains third, followed by the top Ford competitor Ekstrom. Botterill, Price, and Roma round out the top five.

Dakar 2025 – Standings after Stage 2A / Bivouac E (Top 10)

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