Dacia Sandriders thought it had made history with its first-ever Dakar Rally stage victory as Nasser Al-Attiyah delivered a masterclass on the grueling 428km fifth stage from AlUla. However, a 10-minute penalty snatched the triumph away, leaving the five-time champion to settle for second place behind Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Seth Quintero.
Al-Attiyah’s Commanding Performance
After mechanical setbacks cost him over 30 minutes on stage four, Al-Attiyah and navigator Edouard Boulanger came back with a vengeance. Their pace was unmatched, initially clocking in nearly 10 minutes ahead of Quintero. But the penalty dashed their hopes of breaking Toyota’s iron grip on the 47th Dakar Rally, as the Japanese automaker continued its unbroken streak of stage wins.
Despite the setback, Al-Attiyah closed the overall gap to Mattias Ekström to just over four minutes. The Qatari is now tantalizingly close to equaling the all-time stage win record held by Dakar legends Stéphane Peterhansel and Ari Vatanen.
Toyota Tightens Its Grip
Toyota Gazoo Racing remains in dominant form. Henk Lategan, third on the stage, extended his overall lead to 10m17s over Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk, who lost time after opening the road. Lategan’s consistent performance has solidified his status as the frontrunner heading into the much-needed rest day.
Meanwhile, Ekström and Bergkvist had a rollercoaster stage, challenging Al-Attiyah early on before a late navigation error cost them valuable time. Reflecting on the stage, Ekström admitted:
“Driving-wise, this has been by far my best day of the rally. Navigation-wise, Emil and I are still learning, but I’m very happy with our progress.”
Marathon Stage Carnage
The second leg of the marathon stage proved relentless. Crews were forced to manage without outside assistance, navigating rocky and sinuous terrain while battling the constant threat of punctures. Giniel de Villiers, the 2009 Dakar champion, suffered two tire failures and ran out of spares, forcing him to wait for assistance from teammates.
Tight Battles Further Down the Order
The fight for top-five positions remains intense. Lucas Moraes edged past Mitch Guthrie for fifth, with less than a minute separating the two. Mathieu Serradori, piloting the best of the Century Racing CR7s, is just three minutes adrift in seventh.
The Road Ahead
As the Dakar Rally heads into its rest day, the stage is set for an explosive second week. Al-Attiyah is within striking distance of reclaiming glory, while Toyota continues to prove its mettle with Lategan at the helm. With tight margins and unforgiving terrain ahead, the 2025 Dakar Rally promises to deliver even more drama and surprises.
