Overview
- Henk Lategan led deep into the 459km Riyadh–Wadi Ad Dawasir special before dropping to 13th after late trouble, with his Toyota arriving damaged and the cause not yet confirmed.
- Mattias Ekström took the stage by 4m27s over João Ferreira, with Mitch Guthrie third after a tight multi-team fight through the closing kilometres.
- Al‑Attiyah finished 11th on the day yet retained the rally lead, as Ekström rose to second overall and Lategan slipped to fourth at 7m21s.
- Nani Roma’s earlier 1m10s speeding penalty was overturned, confirming him as Stage 5 winner and leaving him third overall after Lategan’s setback.
- The top ten in the general classification remain closely bunched at under 26 minutes, underscoring the rally’s stage-to-stage volatility.