AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear

Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 7 Controversy: A Divisive Decision – This year’s organisation has left a lot to be desired

Redação by Redação
January 12, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 7 Controversy: A Divisive Decision – This year’s organisation has left a lot to be desired

Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 7 - Al Duwadimi to Al Duwadimi - Saudi Arabia - January 12, 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing's Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz in action REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

The Dakar Rally’s seventh stage, looping around Al Duwadimi, has become the focal point of heated debate following a controversial decision by the A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation) to neutralize a 20km section of the stage due to a digital road book error. This move drastically altered the leaderboard and sparked fierce reactions from competitors and fans alike.


What Happened?

A navigational error in the road book at the 158km mark caused confusion for many competitors, who veered into the wrong valley while searching for a waypoint. Some teams, like Toyota’s Henk Lategan, managed to recover and find the waypoint by retracing their steps, while others lost significant time searching for the correct path. The organizers decided to nullify the affected section, returning the lost time to those who struggled.


The Fallout: Winners and Losers

Henk Lategan: “It’s Completely Unfair”

Lategan, who began the stage with a comfortable 7-minute lead, saw his advantage slashed to just 21 seconds over Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al Rajhi. The decision left Lategan frustrated, as he believed his and navigator Brett Cummings’ efforts to follow the road book correctly were undermined.

“We found the waypoint first because we went back to the previous instructions in the road book and followed them correctly,” said Lategan. “Everyone else had the same information. For them to cut that bit out is completely unfair.”

Lategan argued that the recalibration fundamentally altered their race strategy, which had been based on holding off their main rivals.


Yazeed Al Rajhi and Nasser Al-Attiyah: A Lifeline

The decision breathed new life into Al Rajhi’s campaign and bolstered Nasser Al-Attiyah’s chances of a podium finish. Al-Attiyah’s navigator, Edouard Boulanger, strongly supported the neutralization, arguing that the widespread confusion proved the road book’s inadequacy.

“If the organizers canceled the section before the stage ended, it means there was a genuine issue,” said Boulanger. “We didn’t make a mistake. The road book did.”

Al-Attiyah now sits just 22 minutes off the lead, reigniting his bid for a sixth Dakar title.


Nani Roma: “This Is Part of Rally Raid”

M-Sport Ford’s Nani Roma, a veteran of the Dakar, sided with Lategan, asserting that the challenging nature of rally raid involves navigating such uncertainties.

“Sometimes you gain, sometimes you lose. This is part of the game,” Roma remarked. “It’s not fair to cut this section; everyone had the same challenge.”


The Broader Implications

The recalibration of times has thrust M-Sport Ford’s Mattias Ekström back into contention, reducing his deficit to just 10 minutes, while Al Rajhi is now perfectly positioned to challenge for the lead. The decision has sparked questions about fairness and the integrity of the competition, with Toyota reportedly appealing the ruling.


Divided Reactions: A Never-Ending Debate

The controversy underscores the inherent unpredictability of the Dakar Rally, where navigation plays a pivotal role. On one hand, some believe that neutralizing the section ensures fairness when errors in the road book disadvantage competitors. On the other, critics argue that overcoming such challenges is integral to rally raid’s DNA.

Lategan’s sentiment captures the frustration of those who feel penalized by the decision:

“We drove a completely different race having found the waypoint first. It’s frustrating to have that effort disregarded.”

Boulanger’s counterpoint highlights the opposing perspective:

“Twelve cars got stuck in the same valley. That’s not a coincidence. It proves the road book was wrong.”


What’s Next?

As the rally heads deeper into the Empty Quarter, with five stages remaining, the recalibrated standings set the stage for a thrilling finale. The decision to neutralize Stage 7’s waypoint drama will continue to fuel debate, but for now, it has reshuffled the pack and intensified the battle for the Dakar throne.

Will Lategan regain his composure and hold on to the lead, or will Al Rajhi, Ekström, or Al-Attiyah capitalize on the controversy to write their own piece of Dakar history? Only time will tell.

Share245Tweet153Send

Related Posts

FIA Uncovers Shocking McLaren Brake Scandal; Horner’s Fate Hangs in Balance
Motorsports

FIA Uncovers Shocking McLaren Brake Scandal; Horner’s Fate Hangs in Balance

The FIA Launches Investigation into McLaren's Brakes as Horner's Future Hangs in the Balance In the aftermath of the Miami...

by David Castro
May 8, 2025
Motorsports

Ferrari’s Shocking Legoland Showdown: Hamilton and Leclerc Unite Amid F1 Turmoil

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, two Formula 1 titans, have put their fierce on-track rivalry aside to join forces in...

by Simon Monroy
May 8, 2025
Buemi’s Ultimatum: Formula E Faces Showdown Over Calendar Clashes with WEC
Motorsports

Buemi’s Ultimatum: Formula E Faces Showdown Over Calendar Clashes with WEC

Sebastien Buemi, the renowned driver in both Formula E and the FIA World Endurance Championship, is fed up with the...

by Harry Stone
May 8, 2025
Oscar Piastri Makes McLaren History With Third Consecutive Win, Outshining Lewis Hamilton
Motorsports

Oscar Piastri Makes McLaren History With Third Consecutive Win, Outshining Lewis Hamilton

In a jaw-dropping turn of events, rising star Oscar Piastri has etched his name in the annals of McLaren history...

by Simon Monroy
May 8, 2025

Recent News

FIA Uncovers Shocking McLaren Brake Scandal; Horner’s Fate Hangs in Balance

FIA Uncovers Shocking McLaren Brake Scandal; Horner’s Fate Hangs in Balance

May 8, 2025

Ferrari’s Shocking Legoland Showdown: Hamilton and Leclerc Unite Amid F1 Turmoil

May 8, 2025
Buemi’s Ultimatum: Formula E Faces Showdown Over Calendar Clashes with WEC

Buemi’s Ultimatum: Formula E Faces Showdown Over Calendar Clashes with WEC

May 8, 2025
Oscar Piastri Makes McLaren History With Third Consecutive Win, Outshining Lewis Hamilton

Oscar Piastri Makes McLaren History With Third Consecutive Win, Outshining Lewis Hamilton

May 8, 2025

Newsletter

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  • EDITORIAL STATUS
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Formula 1
      • STANDINGS
    • Formula E
    • Circuits
    • WRC
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Enable Notifications OK No thanks
x