The Saudi Yazeed al-Rajhi (Overdrive) won his first Dakar in the car category. This at the end of the 12th and final stage Friday in Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia.
He is ahead of South African Henk Lategan (Toyota) by only 3’57 and Swede Mattias Ekström (Ford) by 20’21, subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.
Until now, al-Rajhi had never done better than third place overall (in 2022). This is the first coronation of a Saudi on the Dakar, based in Saudi Arabia since 2020.
Al-Rajhi definitively regained the general advantage over Lategan on Thursday, on the eve of the finish, thanks to a perfectly mastered 11th and penultimate stage for the Saudi, from an extremely wealthy business family. of the country.
Five-time winner of the Dakar, Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah, winner of the last stage on Friday, ranked 4th overall.
-Other favorites who were expected for the final victory before the start of this 47th edition of the Dakar, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, four-time winner of the event and defending champion, and the French rally legend Sébastien Loeb had to throw in the towel from the first week. The first had to abandon the race following an accident with his Ford Raptor at the end of the 2nd stage.
It was repeated the next day when race officials disqualified Loeb due to damage to his Dacia in an accident at the start of stage 3. A hard blow for the nine-time world rally champion who is still chasing a first Dakar title after nine participations.
/ATS
Swiss
