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Dakar 2025 Ignites! Lategan Blazes Prologue Trail, Ford Raptor Roars into Action

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
January 9, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Dakar 2025 Ignites! Lategan Blazes Prologue Trail, Ford Raptor Roars into Action

Saudi Arabia – The ultimate motorsport showdown has kicked off in jaw-dropping fashion, with Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings of Toyota Gazoo Racing charging to a blistering victory in the 29km Prologue stage of Dakar 2025. Clocking in at a mere 0.1 seconds ahead of Sweden’s rally superstars Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergkvist, the South African duo has thrown down the gauntlet, putting their Hilux Ultimate T1+ in the spotlight and sparking early excitement in the world’s toughest rally.

But the battle wasn’t just a two-horse race. Reigning W2RC Champion Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Eduardo Boulanger roared into third place, trailing by 20 seconds in their bold new Dacia Sandrider. Lithuanian Rokas Baciuska and Spain’s Oriol Mena also made waves, slotting into fourth with their Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux.

Adding to the drama, South African duo Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer powered their Century Racing CR-7 into a fiery fifth place, narrowly beating the second Dacia Sandrider piloted by rally legend Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin.

Meanwhile, the competition proved fierce further down the leaderboard. Brazilian driver Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleón finished seventh in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux, sharing their spot with seasoned veterans Nani Roma and Alex Haro in Ford’s second Raptor entry. Notably, 19-year-old phenom Sa’ood Variawa and Frenchman François Cazalet cracked the top 10, showcasing stellar skills in their Toyota Hilux and edging out Guerlain Chicherit’s X-Raid Mini by just one second.

A Prelude to Mayhem: Prologue Results and What’s Next

While the Prologue doesn’t count toward overall standings, its strategic significance is undeniable. The top 10 finishers now hold the power to choose their starting positions for tomorrow’s grueling first stage—an advantage that could determine their fate as the 2025 Dakar Rally unfolds.

With over 8,000 kilometers of perilous terrain ahead, including more than 5,000 kilometers of timed specials, this year’s Dakar promises unmatched adrenaline and endurance. Stage one takes competitors on a 500-kilometer odyssey, featuring 412 kilometers of high-stakes racing from Bisha to Bisha.

This year’s rally boasts a staggering lineup: 806 competitors across 440 vehicles in various classes, all vying to etch their names into motorsport history. From the arid expanses to unforgiving dunes, Saudi Arabia will test the limits of human and machine in a spectacle that’s as much about survival as it is about speed.

The Road Ahead: Rivalries to Watch

The opening salvo sets the stage for a fierce rivalry between Toyota Gazoo Racing, Ford’s resurgent Raptor, and the newly minted Dacia Sandriders. With big names like Loeb, Al-Attiyah, and Ekstrom in the mix, this Dakar promises to be a battle of wits, strategy, and raw horsepower.

Will the South African champions maintain their edge, or will the Ford Raptor’s fresh energy steal the spotlight? And can young Variawa continue his meteoric rise against seasoned legends?

As the engines roar to life in Bisha, all eyes are on the desert—where every second, every choice, and every ounce of grit will decide who emerges victorious in Dakar 2025.

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