Course
This Dakar 2025 will already be the sixth edition organized on Saudi soil… but don’t think that the competitors will know the special stages like the back of their hands! On the contrary, the difficulty will be similar, or even greater, than the last edition of the Dakar organized in 2024, which was nevertheless very tough!
Those nostalgic for the African Paris-Dakar will rediscover a principle which had been successful in 2024: the 48 Hours Chrono. This stage, split into two days, will start from the first days of racing with 1,000 km of special, in a loop to be done around Bisha. Without assistance, and without means of communication to know where they are in relation to the progress of the test, the desert adventurers will have to fend for themselves.
Assistance will also be prohibited at Alula, the starting point of the 2024 edition and which will be the scene of the 4th and 5th stages. The dreaded passage will undoubtedly be the Empty Quarter, the largest dune desert in the world. After two notable appearances, the Quart-Vide will serve as the setting for the final stages in the second week. But more than the nature of the terrain offered by David Castera’s teams, it is the division of certain special stages into two distinct routes (one for cars, another for motorcycles) which risks causing a lot of noise this winter on the steps 2, 7, 8, 10 and 11.
In total, the cars will have to cover no less than 7,759 kilometers in two weeks, including 5,115 timed kilometers divided into 12 stages.
Programme
Friday January 3 – Prologue – Endgame – Endgame (29 km)
Saturday January 4 – Stage 1 : Bisha – Bisha (412 km)
Sunday January 5 / Monday January 6 – Stage 2 : Bisha – Bisha (965 km)
Tuesday January 7 – Stage 3: Bisha – Al Henakiyah (496 km)
Wednesday January 8 – Stage 4: Al Henakiyah – Alula (415 km)
Thursday January 9 – Stage 5: Alula – Hail (428 km)
Friday January 10 – Rest
Saturday January 11 – Stage 6: Hail – Al Duwadimi (606 km)
Sunday January 12 – Stage 7 : Al Duwadimi – Al Duwadimi (481 km)
Monday January 13 – Stage 8 : Al Duwadimi – Riyadh (487 km)
Tuesday January 14 – Stage 9 : Riyadh – Haradh (357 km)
Wednesday January 15 – Section 10: Haradh – Shubaytah (119 km)
Thursday January 16 – Stage 11: Shubaitah – Shubaitah (280 km)
Friday January 17 – Stage 12: Shubaitah – Shubaitah (134 km)
Committed
In total, 439 vehicles – all categories combined – are registered for this Dakar 2025. Among the cars, there are 63 Ultimate vehicles, 54 Challenger (ex-T3), 39 SSV, 2 Stock (4×4 close to the series), but also 136 motorcycles, 76 Classic Cars and 19 Classic Trucks. The Dakar Future and its Mission 1000 initiative, aimed at promoting clean energy, will include 3 motorcycles, 1 SSV and 1 truck.
READ ALSO > Dakar 2025 – Who are the favorites for overall victory?
Among the 63 entered in the premier category, the Ultimate class, we will obviously find the big favorites of this 47th edition. Building on success from its first appearance at the Rallye du Maroc in October, Dacia will put its trust in a shock team to lead the new Sandrider to victory: Sébastien Loeb – Fabian Lurquin on the No. 219, Nasser Al-Attiyah – Édouard Boulanger on the n°200 and Cristina Gutierrez – Pablo Moreno on the n°212. Also entered with a new 4×4, the Raptor T1+, Ford will arrive in force with four tandems, including the outgoing winners, Carlos Sainz – Lucas Cruz on the No. 225. Mattias Ekström – Émil Bergkvist, Nani Roma – Alex Haro and the American rookies Mitch Guthrie – Paul Wallch will be in ambush.
The hardwearing Toyota Hilux will have strength in numbers. Two Japanese 4×4s entered year-round in the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) will be there, with the duos Lucas Moraes – Armand Monleon and Seth Quintero – Dennis Zenz. Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa will take four Hiluxes including one for Giniel de Villiers – Dirk Von Zitzewitz. The Belgians from Overdrive Racing will make Yazeed Al-Rajhi – Timo Gottschalk their leaders. On the podium of the Dakar 2024 and the Rallye du Maroc 2024, Guillaume de Mévius has the cards in hand to play the leading roles. He will drive a Mini JCW with a petrol engine and listen to the notes of his co-driver Mathieu Baumel. In the same X-Raid team will be the spectacular Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq.
The entry list for the Dakar 2025 (Autos category)
The Dakar 2025 will of course be followed in full on AUTOhebdo with reports from each stage, interviews, analyzes and reports from our two special correspondents present on site in Saudi Arabia! The Dakar 2025 will also be followed from the inside on our social networks with Roole.
READ ALSO > Experience the Dakar 2025 from the inside with Roole and AUTOhebdo!
