Chicherit wins in a chaotic stage

Guerlain Chicherit wins a chaotic first stage marked by GPS problems for all the crews

First stage of this Dakar 2025 and already a lot to say! On the program for this first stage, 413 kilometers to be covered in a loop around Bisha, the location of the Dakar base camp in these first days. A long first stage which already promised a spectacle to begin this Dakar 2025. At the end of this stage, it was Guerlain Chicherit who won ahead of Seth Quintero and Saoud Viarawa. First chaotic day since all the crews were affected by GPS problems and a breakdown of the sentinel system.

Guerlain Chicherit strikes first in a chaotic stage

What a way to start this Dakar 2025! In a long stage of 413 kilometers to open this new edition, all the competitors were let down by the GPS and the sentinel system (the security system allowing competitors in the surrounding area to be alerted to the presence of a vehicle), which meant that all the favorites were completely lost for a good part of the special as well as at the finish, with times impossible to obtain immediately.

At the end of this chaotic first stage, it was Guerlain Chicherit who won ahead of Seth Quintero and Saoud Viarawa. Starting 30th this morning, the Frenchman from Mini won the special in spite of himself, since it was not an easy day for him. Between the GPS problems, the breakdown of the sentinel system, the start of a fire and a big risk taking to overtake in the dust, the Frenchman's Mini crossed the finish line in a bad state, but with the best time, a surprise for Chicherit who did not expect to set the best time. A time which makes the Frenchman smile, but which does not necessarily suit him, since he will have to open the road tomorrow on the terrible 48 hour stage.

Behind the French winner of the day, Seth Quintero and Saoud Variawa completed the podium after setting a great time and a final part of the special with their feet on the floor, since Quintero was only in sixth place at the last kilometer point, just like Viarawa who was third in the stage before starting the last timed portion. The young 19-year-old Saudi could well have claimed a first stage victory on the Dakar before being pipped to the post by Guerlain Chicherit.

Another notable performance of the day, the fifth place of Cristina Gutiérrez who signs an impressive fifth place. First Dacia of the day, the Spaniard held a provisional podium behind Variawa for a long time before being dethroned by Seth Quintero.

Finally, to conclude the top 10 on this first stage, we find Martin Prokop in 4th place, Joao Ferreira in 6th place in the third Mini, the Sunderland – Price duo in ninth place in one of the Toyota Hiluxes of the team Overdrive. Winner of the prologue yesterday, Henk Lategan completes the top 10.

The favorites play strategy

In anticipation of the terrible 48 hour stage tomorrow, no favorite wanted to show off too much today so as not to have to open the road tomorrow. Apart from Guerlain Chicherit who won despite himself today, all the other favorites are today far from the top 5, with Carlos Sainz 7th, Lucas Moraes 8th, De Mevius 11th, Ekström 16th, Al-Attiyah 20th, Al-Rajhi 21st and finally Sébastien Loeb 24th, at 11 minutes and 31 seconds from the winner of the day.

Even if some of them may have lost more time than expected in the dust and because of the faulty sentinel system, they will all attack the 48H stage in a favorable position.

Tomorrow, the crews have an appointment with the 48H stage with a total of 967 kilometers on the program over two days before returning to the Bisha base camp for the last time.

Stage 1 Ranking

General ranking

Cover photo credits: ASO / J.Delfosse / DPPI.