Yazeed Al-Rajhi Seizes Dakar Rally Lead After Lategan’s Costly Stage 9

Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi overtakes South Africa’s Henk Lategan in the overall standings, with just three competitive days remaining in the rally.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi leads the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2025 after finishing third in Stage 9, gaining a 7-minute advantage over Henk Lategan.
Lategan, who had dominated the standings since Stage 2, suffered navigation errors and two punctures, finishing 11th in the stage and losing his lead.
Nasser Al-Attiyah won Stage 9, covering the 357km route in under three hours, marking his 49th Dakar stage victory and moving closer to third place overall.
In the motorbike category, Daniel Sanders extended his lead to nearly 15 minutes despite a crash by his closest rival, Tosha Schareina, early in the stage.
Luciano Benavides secured his second consecutive stage win in the motorbike race, aided by time bonuses for opening the route, and remains fourth overall.