Yazeed al-Rajhi made history on Friday by becoming the first driver from Saudi Arabia to win the Dakar Rally
Dakar Hot News

Dakar Rally: Al-Rajhi (cars) and Sanders (Bikes) win 2025 Dakar

Posted by AR1 staff

2025 Dakar Rally Winners: Yazeed al-Rajhi made history on Friday by becoming the first driver from Saudi Arabia to win the Dakar Rally while Australian Daniel Sanders won in the motorbike category.

The Overdrive pilot held onto his overnight lead to beat South Africa’s Henk Lategan in a Toyota by 3min 57sec with Mattias Ekstrom of Sweden third in his Ford, more than 20min adrift.

Lucas Moraes produced the best time on the final Stage 12 to deprive Nasser Al Attiyah of his 49th stage win in the Dakar. The Brazilian beat the Qatari by 1m3s and Mattias Ekstrom by 2m12s.  Along with his win on stage 7, it is his second stage success of the year.

Rajhi, 43, had previously recorded a best finish of third in 2022.

“I am very, very happy to do it, it is not an easy race, it’s the toughest one that I’ve done in the last eleven years,” said Rajhi.

“For sure, we have made a lot of records today: the first Saudi driver to win and also in the last twenty-five years no private team beat a factory team but we did it this time.

“Also, it’s the first time there is a winner on the Dakar from the same country in which it is raced, with a Saudi guy winning a Saudi Dakar.”

Bikes

There was also a first win in the world’s most famous endurance rally for Australia’s KTM rider Daniel Sanders in the motorbike category.

Australian Daniel Sanders won in the motorbike category.

Sanders has become the second Australian biker to win the Dakar after Toby Price (in 2016 and 2019). ‘Chucky’ has also given KTM its 20th triumph on the race.

Sanders, 30, dominated from the moment he won the prologue and finished a comfortable 8min 50sec faster than Spanish runner-up Tosha Schareina on his Honda.

Sanders is the first rider to record three successive stage wins since Spain’s Joan Barreda achieved the feat in the 2017 edition held between Bolivia and Argentina.

2025 Dakar Rally Stage 12 Results – Cars

Pos. No. Drive-Team Team Time Behind Penalty
1 203
(bra) LUCAS MORAES
(esp) ARMAND MONLEON
 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 00h 54′ 14”
2 200
(qat) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH
(fra) EDOUARD BOULANGER
 THE DACIA SANDRIDERS 00h 55′ 47” + 00h 01′ 33”
3 211
(zaf) HENK LATEGAN
(zaf) BRETT CUMMINGS
 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 00h 56′ 25” + 00h 02′ 11”
4 226
(swe) MATTIAS EKSTRÖM
(swe) EMIL BERGKVIST
 FORD M-SPORT 00h 56′ 26” + 00h 02′ 12”
5 242
(deu) DANIEL SCHRÖDER
(zaf) HENRY CARL KÖHNE
 PS LASER RACING 00h 57′ 15” + 00h 03′ 01”
6 310
(nld) PAUL SPIERINGS
(nld) JAN PIETER VAN DER STELT
 TEAM REBELLION & SPIERINGS 00h 57′ 24” + 00h 03′ 10”
7 300
(sau) YASIR SEAIDAN
(fra) MICHAEL METGE
 TEAM BBR 00h 57′ 38” + 00h 03′ 24”
8 216
(arg) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI
(esp) DANIEL OLIVERAS
 OVERDRIVE RACING 00h 58′ 13” + 00h 03′ 59”
9 227
(esp) NANI ROMA
(esp) ALEX HARO
 FORD M-SPORT 00h 58′ 15” + 00h 04′ 01”
10 222
(bel) GUILLAUME DE MEVIUS
(fra) MATHIEU BAUMEL
 X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM 00h 58′ 20” + 00h 04′ 06”

2025 Dakar Rally Final Standings – Cars

Pos. No. Drive-Team Team Time Behind Penalty
1 201
(sau) YAZEED AL RAJHI
(deu) TIMO GOTTSCHALK
 OVERDRIVE RACING 52h 52′ 15” 00h 04′ 00”
2 211
(zaf) HENK LATEGAN
(zaf) BRETT CUMMINGS
 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 52h 56′ 12” + 00h 03′ 57” 00h 02′ 00”
3 226
(swe) MATTIAS EKSTRÖM
(swe) EMIL BERGKVIST
 FORD M-SPORT 53h 12′ 36” + 00h 20′ 21” 00h 01′ 00”
4 200
(qat) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH
(fra) EDOUARD BOULANGER
 THE DACIA SANDRIDERS 53h 16′ 13” + 00h 23′ 58” 00h 17′ 00”
5 228
(usa) MITCHELL GUTHRIE
(usa) KELLON WALCH
 FORD M-SPORT 53h 54′ 25” + 01h 02′ 10” 00h 12′ 00”
6 209
(fra) MATHIEU SERRADORI
(fra) LOIC MINAUDIER
 CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM 54h 04′ 19” + 01h 12′ 04” 00h 04′ 50”
7 216
(arg) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI
(esp) DANIEL OLIVERAS
 OVERDRIVE RACING 54h 50′ 02” + 01h 57′ 47” 00h 04′ 00”
8 240
(prt) JOAO FERREIRA
(prt) FILIPE PALMEIRO
 X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM 55h 08′ 12” + 02h 15′ 57” 00h 08′ 00”
9 204
(usa) SETH QUINTERO
(deu) DENNIS ZENZ
 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 55h 12′ 19” + 02h 20′ 04” 00h 15′ 00”
10 214
(zaf) BRIAN BARAGWANATH
(zaf) LEONARD CREMER
 CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM 55h 51′ 41” + 02h 59′ 26” 00h 11′ 00”

2025 Dakar Rally Stage 12 Results – Bikes

Pos. No. Rider Team Time Behind Penalty
1 22
(zaf) MICHAEL DOCHERTY
 BAS world KTM racing team 00h 54′ 11”
2 42
(fra) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 00h 54′ 14” + 00h 00′ 03”
3 96
(aut) TOBIAS EBSTER
 BAS world KTM racing team 00h 54′ 55” + 00h 00′ 44”
4 68
(esp) TOSHA SCHAREINA
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 00h 55′ 08” + 00h 00′ 57”
5 142
(svk) STEFAN SVITKO
 SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM 00h 55′ 10” + 00h 00′ 59”
6 4
(aus) DANIEL SANDERS
 RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 00h 55′ 18” + 00h 01′ 07”
7 77
(arg) LUCIANO BENAVIDES
 RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 00h 55′ 18” + 00h 01′ 07”
8 16
(fra) ROMAIN DUMONTIER
 HONDA HRC 00h 56′ 18” + 00h 02′ 07”
9 19
(prt) RUI GONÇALVES
 SHERCO RALLY FACTORY 00h 56′ 19” + 00h 02′ 08”
10 9
(usa) RICKY BRABEC
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 00h 56′ 33” + 00h 02′ 22”

2025 Dakar Rally Final Standings – Bikes

Pos. No. Rider Team Time Behind Penalty
1 4
(aus) DANIEL SANDERS
 RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 53h 08′ 52” 00h 01′ 00”
2 68
(esp) TOSHA SCHAREINA
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 53h 17′ 42” + 00h 08′ 50”
3 42
(fra) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 53h 23′ 38” + 00h 14′ 46” 00h 02′ 00”
4 77
(arg) LUCIANO BENAVIDES
 RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 53h 31′ 08” + 00h 22′ 16” 00h 02′ 00”
5 9
(usa) RICKY BRABEC
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 53h 38′ 42” + 00h 29′ 50”
6 10
(usa) SKYLER HOWES
 MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 53h 51′ 36” + 00h 42′ 44”
7 11
(chl) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO
 HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 54h 07′ 12” + 00h 58′ 20” 00h 02′ 00”
8 73
(esp) EDGAR CANET
 RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 54h 49′ 21” + 01h 40′ 29” 00h 11′ 10”
9 96
(aut) TOBIAS EBSTER
 BAS world KTM racing team 55h 22′ 46” + 02h 13′ 54”
10 142
(svk) STEFAN SVITKO
 SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM 55h 23′ 30” + 02h 14′ 38” 00h 01′ 00”