Dakar Rally 2025 Kicks Off in Saudi Arabia with Prologue Wins for Lategan and Sanders

The 47th edition of the legendary rally begins with victories for Henk Lategan in autos and Daniel Sanders in motos in the opening prologue around Bisha.

The Dakar Rally 2025, featuring 12 stages and over 8,000 kilometers of racing, began on January 3 in Saudi Arabia.
Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) narrowly claimed victory in the auto prologue, finishing one second ahead of Mattias Ekström.
In the moto category, Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) topped the prologue, beating Ross Branch by 12 seconds on a challenging 29-kilometer special stage.
The rally introduces a new format this year, with 45% of timed sections separating auto and moto routes for safety and precision.
Notable competitors include defending champions Carlos Sainz (auto) and Ricky Brabec (moto), as well as Sébastien Loeb and Nasser Al-Attiyah, both aiming for significant wins.