Dakar Rally 2025: Al Rajhi Takes the Lead as Lategan Suffers Setback

As the 2025 Dakar Rally hurtles towards its dramatic conclusion, the race has taken another unpredictable turn. Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Henk Lategan, alongside co-driver Brett Cummings, slipped from first to second place overall following a challenging Stage 9. A navigational error early in the stage cost them precious time, and despite recovering from the setback, they finished 16 minutes and 2 seconds behind the stage winners. This mishap opened the door for Toyota’s rival, Yazeed Al Rajhi, and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk, who capitalised on their favorable road position to record the third-fastest time of the day and vault into the overall lead with just three stages remaining.

A Day of Trials and Triumphs

Lategan and Cummings’ Stage 9 misfortune began with a navigational error before the 37km mark, followed by a puncture that further hampered their progress. “A very difficult day for us,” Lategan said after the stage. “It was actually not supposed to be so bad, but we made an error right in the beginning. We got lost and we had a puncture. I’m a little bit disappointed. This was one of our worst days of this Dakar. But it’s still a long way to go, and still a lot of race miles to go.”

While the duo battled through their challenges, Al Rajhi and Gottschalk seized their moment. The Overdrive Racing crew finished just 3 minutes and 12 seconds behind the stage winners, and by the end of the day, they were leading the overall standings by 7 minutes and 9 seconds. Al Rajhi expressed his satisfaction with the day’s performance, but with a cautious eye on the remaining stages: “It was a good day, but we know that anything can happen in the Dakar. We just need to keep pushing.”

The Bitter Blow of Botterill’s Exit

In a heartbreaking turn, Guy Botterill and his co-driver Dennis Murphy were forced to exit the rally after a catastrophic crash on Stage 9. Shadowing Lategan and Cummings for much of the stage, the pair were on high alert to assist their teammates with spare parts and tyres. However, disaster struck when they hit a step-up at full throttle in sixth gear, sending their car rolling multiple times. Although the crew emerged unscathed, the car was destroyed, and Botterill was left devastated.

“The impact was huge. We rolled just over 500 meters, nose over back, sixth gear,” Botterill recalled. “I’m just devastated for the team, trying so hard. But anyway, Dennis and I walked away unharmed. Just shows you how strong and good the cars are. That was a big accident.” Their absence from the rally leaves a significant void in the Toyota GAZOO Racing camp, as they had been crucial in providing support to their teammates.

Setbacks for Quintero, Variawa, and Moraes

Seth Quintero, along with co-driver Dennis Zenz, suffered a disappointing 18-minute 6-second loss on Stage 9, exacerbated by a missed waypoint that resulted in a 15-minute penalty. Despite the setback, Quintero remained optimistic, acknowledging the challenges of a fast-paced rally. “I wouldn’t say it was a tough stage. It was a really, really fast stage. And mistakes come easy when you’re going fast,” he said. “We had a good day going and then ended up hitting a waypoint backwards and jumped one. That gave us a 15-minute penalty, which was kind of a bummer. But all in all, we really didn’t lose that much time, considering the penalty.”

Similarly, Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon suffered navigation difficulties, incurring a 15-minute penalty for missing a waypoint. Their time loss on Stage 9 was 42 minutes and 41 seconds, and they currently sit 17th in the overall rankings, 5 hours and 12 minutes behind the leaders. Moraes reflected on the stage’s unpredictability: “Every time you think it’s going to be a simple day, it turns out to be the hardest one. It was very tricky for navigation, and we got lost three times. It was definitely a day to forget, but at least we learnt a lot and I hope we can push tomorrow.”

For Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet, the day was defined by setbacks in both navigation and mechanical issues. They got stuck on camel grass for nearly 10 minutes and later suffered a puncture, leaving them 22 minutes and 50 seconds behind the stage winners. Currently in 33rd place, 9 hours and 3 minutes behind the leaders, Variawa remained hopeful: “We were really pushing from the start. I think we would have been one of the fastest cars up until the first 50 kilometers or so. Unfortunately, we hit a camel grass mound and then we were just stuck on the belly plate. It took us nearly 10 minutes or so to get out of it. And then it was just really tricky in terms of navigation for the last 50km or so. We’ll see how it goes in the dunes tomorrow.”

Looking Ahead to Stage 10

With Stage 9 now behind them, Toyota GAZOO Racing remains determined as they look to the challenges ahead. Stage 10, although shorter at 120km, will take competitors to the edge of the Empty Quarter, a notoriously difficult and unforgiving terrain. A long liaison of 520km will bring the rally to the start of the stage, which is set to conclude at Shubaytah.

The rally’s end is now in sight, but with everything still to play for, Al Rajhi holds a slim lead of just over 7 minutes, and Lategan is poised to make his move in the coming stages. The final days of the 2025 Dakar Rally are sure to bring more surprises as the competitors race to the finish.

Dakar Rally 2025 – Stage 9 Results (Top 10)

1. #200 N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger (Dacia Sandriders) – 2hr 52min 59sec
2. #222 G. de Mevius / M. Baumel (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) – +02:47
3. #201 Y. Al Rajhi / T. Gottschalk (Overdrive Racing) – +03:12
4. #226 M. Ekström / E. Bergkvist (Ford M-Sport) – +04:48
5. #210 R. Baciuska / O. Mena (Overdrive Racing) – +07:28
6. #228 M. Guthrie / K. Walch (Ford M-Sport) – +09:42
7. #233 S. Vitse / M. Delfino (MD Rallye Sport) – +11:32
8. #212 C. Gutierrez / P. Moreno (Dacia Sandriders) – +14:26
9. #240 J. Ferreira / F. Palmeirp (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) – +14:48
10. #230 M. Gastaldi / A. Metge (Century Racing) – +15:07

Dakar Rally 2025 – Standings after Stage 9 (Top 10)

1. #201 Y. Al Rajhi / T. Gottschalk (Overdrive Racing) – 45hr 06min 54sec
2. #211 H. Lategan / B. Cummings (Toyota GAZOO Racing) – +07:09
3. #226 M. Ekström / E. Bergkvist (Ford M-Sport) – +24:50
4. #200 N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger (Dacia Sandriders) – +25:21
5. #228 M. Guthrie / K. Walch (Ford M-Sport) – +56:28
6. #209 M. Serradori / L. Minaudier (Century Racing Factory Team) – +01:06:52
7. #216 J. Yacopini / D. Oliveras (Overdrive Racing) – +01:44:41
8. #204 S. Quintero / D. Zenz (Toyota GAZOO Racing) – +01:46:07
9. #240 J. Ferreira / F. Palmeirp (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) – +02:11:02
10. #214 B. Baragwanath / L. Cremer (Century Racing Factory Team) – +02:31:14

The next stage promises to be a dramatic showdown—who will emerge victorious in this epic battle through the desert? The final push begins now.