Dakar 48h stage top two, Sainz and Loeb all hit with penalties
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Nasser Al-Attiyah have been handed penalties by the FIA for exceeding permitted speed limits after finishing first and second in stage two of the Dakar Rally. Read Also: Speed limits are dictated during non-timed liaison running, and stage winner Al-Rajhi was given a two-minute penalty for breaching the limit. The Toyota privateer […]
Al-Rajhi storms into lead as Sainz and Loeb hit trouble
Toyota privateer Yazeed Al-Rajhi moved into the lead of the Dakar Rally after the first half of the 48-hour chrono stage on Sunday, with Dacia’s Nasser Al-Attiyah in hot pursuit in second. Following a successful debut in 2024, ASO implemented the new marathon stage format again this time, with competitors facing an arduous 947km test […]
Sainz still in contention for 2025 Dakar win despite rollover – Ford
Ford insists Carlos Sainz Sr still has all to play for in the 2025 Dakar Rally despite losing heaps of time in a crash during the 48-hour chrono stage on Sunday. Having just crossed the seventh checkpoint at the 325km mark, Sainz’s Ford Raptor flipped over and landed on its roof over sand, leaving him […]
Sainz suffers rollover in crucial 48-hour Dakar stage
Carlos Sainz Sr’s Ford rolled over in the first part of the Dakar Rally’s 48-hour stage on Sunday, leaving him stranded in the desert. The four-time Dakar winner had started the second test of 2025 in eighth place but things went south for him just after midday in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. According to information received […]
Al-Attiyah calls for changes to Dakar format after “boring” opening stage
Nasser Al-Attiyah believes the Dakar Rally must change its format after finding Saturday’s opening stage “boring” due to the need of prioritising strategy over results. The 2025 edition began with a tough and “pure” 431km test around Bisha in Saudi Arabia, but several drivers elected to compromise their result to secure a better starting position for […]
Defender to join Dakar Rally from 2026
The Defender brand has announced plans to enter the Dakar Rally in 2026 as part of a three-year programme. The British manufacturer, a subsidiary of Land Rover, will field two examples of the popular Defender in all rounds of the World-Rally Raid Championship next year, with an additional third vehicle added to its line-up for […]
Toyota edges out Ford and Dacia as Lategan wins Prologue
Factory Toyota driver Henk Lategan beat Ford rival Mattias Ekstrom to take victory in Prologue at the start of the 2025 Dakar Rally. The 47th edition of the world’s biggest cross-country rally kicked off with a short 29km special in Bisha in south west region of Saudi Arabia, with a total of 64 cars lining […]
Sainz predicts «strange» tactical battle in Dakar Rally
Carlos Sainz Sr believes that “tactics will be more important than ever” in this year’s running of the Dakar Rally. After claiming his fourth victory in the iconic rally raid last year with Audi, the Spaniard has switched allegiances to Ford this term as the marque enters its new Raptor developed in collaboration with M-Sport. […]
Ford Raptor — the American manufacturer’s new contender for 2025 Dakar Rally
Ford, together with its long-time World Rally Championship partner M-Sport, has designed the new Raptor T1+ to take on the Dakar Rally. With a star-studded line-up including past winners Carlos Sainz Sr and Nani Roma, former Audi star Mattias Ekstrom and promising youngster Mitch Guthrie Jr, the American manufacturer is already seen as a favourite […]