The very long second stage of the Dakar 2025 caused damage to the favorites Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Loeb. If the Frenchman had to stop several times, the Spaniard had to turn his car right side up after rolling over.
Crowned for the fourth time on the Dakar in 2024, Carlos Sainz experienced a big mishap this Sunday during the second stage. The Spanish veteran (62 years old) was forced to turn his Ford Raptor upright after an accident which left him on the roof at kilometer 327.
Helped by his teammate Mitch Guthrie, who stopped, Carlos Sainz was able to restart after 25 minutes of stopping. At kilometer 373, the double WRC world champion (1990 and 1992) was 43 minutes and 14 seconds behind the Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi, provisional leader.
Loeb arrested too
Another contender for the Dakar title, which he never won, Sébastien Loeb also experienced setbacks this Sunday, for reasons still unknown. The Dacia driver stopped several times after 400 kilometers of racing. At kilometer 414, the Frenchman was almost 30 minutes behind the leader.
In total, the competitors have 947 kilometers to complete on this second stage, contested over 48 hours. The Dakar is taking place in the Saudi desert for the sixth consecutive year. The race will cross Saudi Arabia to end on January 17 in Shubaytah, in the desert dunes of the Empty Quarter, on the border with the United Arab Emirates.
Senegal
