The 2025 Dakar Rally continues to test the mettle of competitors, with Stage 7 delivering drama, determination, and standout performances. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon seized the spotlight, claiming an emphatic stage win while their teammates Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings faced setbacks that trimmed their overall lead to a precarious 21 seconds.
Moraes and Monleon Bounce Back
After a challenging Stage 6, Moraes and Monleon (#203) roared back to form on the 419km route near Al Duwadimi. Their blistering time of 4 hours, 1 minute, and 49 seconds was 7 minutes, 41 seconds clear of the second-fastest crew, marking a triumphant turnaround.
“I was so mad with myself about some small mistakes earlier in the rally,” Moraes admitted. “Today, we had a good road position, so we decided to go on full attack. The car was handling so nicely—it was a good day.”
Despite sitting 19th in the overall standings, over four hours adrift of the leaders, Moraes’ performance underscores the resilience required in the world’s toughest rally.
Lategan and Cummings: Leadership Under Threat
Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (#211) retained their overall lead but endured a frustrating day. After meticulously navigating a challenging waypoint and leading the stage for much of the route, their efforts were undermined by an organizer decision to remove the problematic waypoint from the results due to a roadbook error.
Lategan expressed his disappointment: “We did a good job in finding the waypoint first, and now it looks like they’re penalizing the people who managed to find it. It’s really unfair, but let’s see if they fix it.”
The time lost while opening the route further eroded their buffer, reducing their advantage to a mere 21 seconds over Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk (#201) of Overdrive Racing.
Teamwork in Action
Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy (#205) epitomized teamwork, shadowing Lategan/Cummings to provide support if needed. Though they finished 35th on the stage, their strategic role as “water carriers” highlights TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s cohesive approach.
Elsewhere, Saood Variawa and François Cazalet (#218) impressed with an 8th-place finish, despite challenges including a puncture and heavy dust. Their spirited performance exemplifies the depth of talent within the team.
A Bittersweet Farewell for De Villiers
Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz were forced to retire after Stage 6 due to von Zitzewitz suffering a stable fracture of the C6 vertebra. This abrupt end marks the conclusion of De Villiers’ illustrious Dakar career with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.
“Dirk’s health is the number one priority,” De Villiers emphasized. “This was our 14th Dakar together, and we’ve had great times and many highlights. You’ve got to take the good with the bad.”
Looking Ahead: Stage 8 to Riyadh
As the rally heads to Riyadh, competitors face a grueling 488km of fast dirt tracks interspersed with sand and dunes. With the overall standings precariously balanced, every second will count as the Dakar Rally enters its decisive stages.
Dakar Rally 2025 – Stage 7 Results
- #203 L. Moraes / A. Monleon (Toyota GAZOO Racing) – 4h 01min 49sec
- #226 M. Ekström / E. Bergkvist (Ford M-Sport) – +07:41
- #228 M. Guthrie / K. Walch (Ford M-Sport) – +09:28
(For full results, visit www.dakar.com)
With every twist and turn, the 2025 Dakar Rally reaffirms its status as the ultimate proving ground for man and machine. Will Lategan and Cummings hold onto their fragile lead, or will another crew seize the initiative? Stay tuned for more high-octane action.
