FOCUS: After nearly a week in Bisha, marked by scrutineering and challenging weather conditions, the Dakar Rally resumed its nomadic rhythm, heading northwest towards Al Henakiyah. The stage brought a drop of approximately 500 metres in altitude and began with a rocky section before transitioning into faster sandy plateaus stretching over 200 kilometres. The previous day’s heavy rainfall gave way to sunny intervals, creating ideal racing conditions. Lorenzo Santolino capitalized on these conditions, securing his first Dakar stage win on his Sherco. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Saood Variawa celebrated his first stage victory, becoming the youngest-ever winner in the premier category.
OUTLINE:
- Lorenzo Santolino Triumphs: Perseverance finally paid off for Santolino, who delighted Spanish fans by claiming his first Dakar stage win in his seventh participation. Starting as the 11th rider, he steadily climbed the leaderboard, beating Ricky Brabec by four minutes.
- General Rankings Update: Daniel Sanders retains his lead, but Skyler Howes has closed the gap to 6’51”. Adrien Van Beveren dropped to 8th after a fall, trailing Sanders by 16’24”.
- Youngest Stage Winner: Saood Variawa made history as the youngest winner in the Ultimate class at just 19 years old, narrowly beating Guerlain Chicherit by 23 seconds in a fiercely contested stage. Despite the close competition, the top three in the general rankings remain unchanged, with Henk Lategan leading, followed by Al Rajhi and Al Attiyah. Sébastien Loeb, however, suffered significant setbacks, losing over an hour after rolling his car and dealing with mechanical issues.
- Challenger Class: Nicolás Cavigliasso secured his second stage win of the year, maintaining his lead in the general standings with a 20-minute advantage over Gonçalo Guerreiro and Corbin Leaverton.
- SSV Category: ‘Chaleco’ López continues racing for stage wins, adding his 15th career victory in this category. However, he trails leader Xavier de Soultrait by over two hours.
- Truck Race: The truck category has settled into a three-way contest, with Martin Macík holding a 3’34” lead over Aleš Loprais and a 34-minute advantage over newcomer Vaidotas Žala.
PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: The Ultimate class continues to showcase young talent. After Seth Quintero (22) and Rokas Baciuška (25) claimed earlier wins, Saood Variawa, at just 19, now holds the title of youngest stage winner. His victory is particularly impressive given his recovery from a collision with teammate Giniel de Villiers the previous day. The Toyota Hilux drivers dominated the stage, with Guerlain Chicherit, Quintero, de Mévius (30), and João Ferreira (25) rounding out the top five.
A CRUSHING BLOW: Sébastien Loeb’s Dakar journey continues to be a rollercoaster. After overcoming early mechanical setbacks, he faced another disaster today, rolling his car and breaking a steering rod. A missing spare part and subsequent fan issues slowed him down significantly. The aftermath of this incident extended beyond lost time. Similar to Carlos Sainz’s experience the previous day, damage to the rollbar of Loeb’s vehicle proved critical. Following an inspection by the FIA’s technical stewards, his car was deemed unfit to continue, barring him from starting Stage 4.
This outcome underlines the relentless challenges of the Dakar Rally, where even the smallest mistakes can have devastating consequences.
STAT OF THE DAY: 6 Lorenzo Santolino’s victory marks Sherco’s sixth stage win in Dakar history and its first in Saudi Arabia. The French brand, previously successful in South America, now adds another milestone to its legacy.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Sébastien Loeb: “At the start of the special, I thought we were on track, but we weren’t. The car rolled, and while we managed to fix the initial damage quickly, the broken steering rod and fan issues slowed us down for the rest of the stage. It wasn’t our day, but we’ll keep pushing.”
THE MAKINGS OF A CLASSIC: Land Rover is set to return to Dakar officially in the Stock category, aiming to challenge Toyota’s dominance. In the Dakar Classic, the Gublin-Sousa duo in their Land Rover 110 delivered a strong performance, narrowly missing a podium finish. Meanwhile, a second Land Rover, a Series III, secured a top-ten spot.
WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP: The Pierer Group, which owns KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas, has unified its rally efforts under the KTM banner. Current leader Daniel Sanders is carrying the brand’s hopes for a 20th Dakar title. After triumphs in 2021 (Matthias Walkner) and 2023 (Kevin Benavides), KTM remains focused on reclaiming the World Rally-Raid Championship crown in 2025.
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