They are back! The pilots of the potent GR Hilux IMT Evo were met by adoring crowds celebrating a podium finish and multiple stage wins during the 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

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At the helm of the return on Wednesday at O.R. Tambo International Airport were Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings who secured the runners-up position at what is considered the most gruelling race in the world.  Dubbed the “Dakar Heroes” on local soil, the local narrowly missed out on Saudi local Yazeed Al-Rajhi’s first place by the second smallest margin in the sport’s history. Regardless, motorsport fans gathered on Wednesday morning to chant the local Toyota Gazoo Racing crew through the customs gate and back onto home soil.

 

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As a reminder, the GR Hilux used in the Dakar rally is locally designed, manufactured and developed and despite Lategan missing the top step of the podium, Al-Rajhi and his Hilux nonetheless proved that South Africa is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to rally raid. Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet managed to take the top spot of stage 3, making the local the youngest stage winner of the race and further cementing the nation in the world of off-road motorsport.

Related: Single SA-Bound Audi RS 6 Avant GT is Heading to Auction – With a R4.5 million Reserve

Local rally legend Giniel de Villiers signals his retirement from his professional motorsport career with his arrival back home but during the Toyota State of the Motor Industry ceremony didn’t allude to his plan of being completely done in the motoring sphere. Looking forward, the Gazoo Racing team intends on building on the successes from the 2025 Dakar rally and implementing them throughout the local SARRC season and other international events throughout the year.

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Image: Ford

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Positioned as the pinnacle model in Ford’s Mustang line-up, the Blue Oval brand bills the Dark Horse as the most-capable Mustang ever created…and what better way to prove the Dark Horse’s on-track prowess than having four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen at its helm — and on track, of course.

As a reminder, the Mustang Dark Horse, which we sampled at the home of NASCAR — Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina — at its international launch in 2023, employs the Dearborn-based automaker’s 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8, which, for the Dark Horse, has been tuned to produce a healthy 372 kW and 567 N.m of torque. Locally, however, the Coyote unit churns out 334 kW and 540 N.m, exclusively sent to the rear axle via a 10-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual cog swapper is available in select overseas markets).

Be sure to keep an eye out for our comprehensive road test of the Mustang Dark Horse in an upcoming issue of CAR magazine.

Related: Lapping the All-New Ford Mustang Dark Horse Around Charlotte Motor Speedway

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Image: Red Bull

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Red Bull Toyota GR Corolla fast facts

• Engine: 3.4-litre, straight-six, 2JZ-GTE single turbo
• Power: 745 kW
• Torque: 1 000 N.m
• Turbo: HKS GT75100 BB
• Gearbox: Sequential
• Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive
• Wheels: Advan RS-DF PRO
• Tyres: Yokohama

Two-time Rally champion Kalle Rovanperä recently fulfilled a lifelong dream by drifting a modified Toyota GR Corolla up Japan’s challenging Mount Iwaki. The project, a collaboration between Red Bull and Initial D, saw Rovanperä battle drift legends in their iconic JDM cars, culminating in a face-off with manga hero Takumi Fujiwara and his Toyota AE86.

Image: Red Bull

Rovanperä, a self-proclaimed fan of Initial D, has long desired to drift a mountain pass. This project provided the perfect opportunity, with Mount Iwaki’s 69 corners from base to summit offering a formidable challenge. The mountain had never been drifted before. Rovanperä’s weapon of choice was a heavily modified GR Corolla. Gone was the stock all-wheel-drive system, replaced with a rear-wheel-drive setup for optimal drifting. Under the metal, a tuned 3.4-litre straight-six engine from a Toyota Supra, courtesy of HKS, pumped out over 745 kW of power, thanks to a massive turbocharger.

Related: Toyota Unveils Bonkers (Mid-Engined!) GR Yaris M Concept Destined for Racing

Rovanperä faced off against a lineup of drift legends and their machines: Yoshitatsu Kaneda in an R34 Skyline, Toshimitsu Masuda in a 180SX, Hokuto Matsuyama in a Toyota Chaser JZX100, Yusuke Kusaba in a Mk2 JZXD90, Liberty Walk founder Wataru Kato in his special LB-Works Ferrari F40, and Manabu Orido in a GR86.

Image: Red Bull

“Drifting on a mountain road like this has been a dream of mine for quite a while,” said Rovanperä. “And being able to do it here in Japan with these amazing landscapes is amazing.”

Watch here:

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Yazeed Al Rajhi leads The Dakar in his country of birth. Source: ASO

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“I am very, very happy to do it, it is not an easy race, it’s the toughest one that I’ve done in the last eleven years. For sure, I’m very happy – me and Timo and my team did a great job like always. For sure, we have made a lot of records today: the first Saudi driver to win and also in the last twenty-five years no private team beat a factory team but we did it this time. Also, it’s the first time there is a winner on the Dakar from the same country in which it is raced, with a Saudi guy winning a Saudi Dakar. I’m very happy. Today we took it easy, there was no need to push and we did a great job,” Al Rajhi said.

Al Rajhi finished stage 12 in 13th position as Brazilian Lucas Moraes took his second stage win of the 2025 Dakar. Five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah finished second on the stage in the brand-new Dacia Sandrider, while South Africans Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings were third quickest on Friday 17 January.

South Africa’s Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings put up a solid challenge. Source: Motorpress

“It’s tough to come this far, to lead the race for that long and have a really good race going, just to lose out by only a few minutes at the end. The team has been absolutely unbelievable with getting us to where we are, keeping the car in the race and keeping us going. I sat out a year and to jump back in and immediately be fighting with the top guys is unbelievable. We had a great race, it’s sad to lose it by such a small margin with everything that’s happened but we will come back fighting… I definitely feel that I’ve gained a lot of experience. I’m still just at the beginning. This is my third full Dakar. We’ll keep pushing and I’ll work my hardest to come back and win this race,” Lategan said.

Swede Mattias Ekström took the final podium spot behind Al Rajhi and Lategan, with former champ Al-Attiyah in fourth overall and Ekström’s Ford M-Sport teammate Mitch Guthrie rounding up the top five.

Overall rankings

1. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) 52 hours 52 minutes 15 seconds
2. Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 52 hours 56 minutes 12 seconds
3. Mattias Ekström (Ford M-Sport) 53 hours 12 minutes 36 seconds
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) 53 hours 16 minutes 13 seconds
5. Mitch Guthrie (Ford M-Sport) 53 hours 54 minutes 25 seconds
6. Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory Team) 54 hours 04 minutes 19 seconds
7. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing) 54 hours 50 minutes 02 seconds
8. Joao Ferreira (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) 55 hours 08 minutes 12 seconds
9. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 55 hours 12 minutes 19 seconds
10. Brian Baragwanath (Century Racing Factory Team) 55 hours 51 minutes 41 seconds

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Lewis Hamilton. Image: Mercedes-AMG F1

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As star driver Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari, the 2025 Formula 1 season marks a significant turning point for the Italian team. The seven-time F1 Drivers’ champion’s arrival marks the start of the end of his legendary career as the Brit will likely hang up his helmet when his contract expires in a few years.

But Hamilton’s arrival is not just about him realising a dream of racing for the most illustrious team in the sport’s history. It’s also about him taking on the best chance of securing an eighth championship; thereby breaking the record he currently shares with Michael Schumacher. And doing just that with the team that propelled Schumacher to five of his seven titles… well, that would be the biggest headline-grabber seen in F1 – ever!

Related: Why Being Max Verstappen’s Teammate is a Lesson in Humility

However, Hamilton’s arrival is about more than just him making a dream come true by signing for the Scuderia. It’s about cementing a legacy – even if it comes at the expense of Ferrari’s golden boy, Charles Leclerc.

Charles Leclerc. Image: Scuderia Ferrari

The Money Factor

Leclerc has long since been seen as the driver to take Ferrari back to the top in F1. After a single season with Sauber, a Ferrari-backed team, in 2018, he was fast-tracked to the A-team in 2019 to partner Sebastian Vettel. And he excelled. He did well in every season since; each time rewarding the team for their trust in him. He remained a team player even when things went awry – either on track with poor strategy calls or driver error – or the car’s performance development going sideways.

Ferrari’s faith in Leclerc is immense, which led to them offering him a new contract last year running from 2025 through to 2029, with it, of course, coming with a salary bump. And Hamilton? Well, his contract is rumoured to be in the region of $400 million, excluding bonuses, and this might present a challenge for the Monegasque driver. This leads us to believe that if Ferrari was willing to pay Hamilton handsomely to ditch Mercedes for their project, then they’d do everything they could to maximise the return on investment.

F1 pundit Gary Anderson summed up the impending situation at Ferrari in 2025:

“For Charles Leclerc, there won’t be the same family team atmosphere that (Carlos) Sainz brought to Ferrari. Yes, they had their battles but resolved most of them amicably. With Hamilton, a seven-time champion, joining, it could be completely different. Ferrari has already backed [Hamilton] to the hilt in paying him way more than Leclerc and I think it will do the same – back Hamilton – for the first part of the season at least, which could rile Leclerc.”

Charles Leclerc. Image: Scuderia Ferrari

Our Prediction for Hamilton

Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is bound to create a fascinating dynamic, but it may also lead to tension within the team. With Ferrari’s substantial investment in Hamilton, it is clear they are banking on his wealth of experience and ability to deliver an eighth championship – even at 40-years-old. This will likely make him the team’s focal point, particularly in the early stages of the season.

However, Leclerc, armed with a long-term contract and his own ambitions to secure Ferrari’s first drivers’ title since 2007, will not quietly step aside. The Monegasque driver has shown his loyalty and resilience through years of highs and lows with the team, but his frustration could grow if he perceives an imbalance in team support. A season marred by internal conflicts or poor decision-making could unravel the team’s plans entirely.

But if the Scuderia can strike the right balance and produce a car that allows both drivers to push each other without compromising the bigger picture, they could dominate the championship battle.

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Max Verstappen. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

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Max Verstappen is undoubtedly one of Formula 1’s most dominant figures; a driver who has cemented his legacy in ways some can only dream of. But even legends need teammates, and an interesting cast of co-pilots has accompanied Verstappen’s F1 journey. Each driver who has shared the Red Bull (or Toro Rosso) garage with Verstappen has faced the unenviable challenge of keeping up with the Dutch superstar. So let’s dive into the numbers and explore how these partnerships unfolded.

Carlos Sainz: The Rookie Showdown (2015 – 2016)

Max Verstappen’s F1 career began in 2015 with Toro Rosso, and he raced alongside another highly rated rookie, Carlos Sainz Jr, the son of rally legend Carlos Sainz. Both drivers were fresh-faced and full of ambition, and their rivalry was one of equals…at least at the start.

In qualifying that year, Sainz edged Verstappen in their rookie season with a narrow 10-9 lead. However, when it came to race results, Verstappen demonstrated the flair and skill that would later define his career. He outscored Sainz in points (49 to the Spaniard’s 18), showing that raw racecraft often trumps qualifying pace.

Their partnership was characterised by closely contested battles, but Verstappen’s fearless overtaking and knack for extracting the most from his car gave him the edge. By the time he moved up to Red Bull Racing in early 2016, Verstappen, son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, had already set himself up to become the star he is today.

(L-R) Carlos Sainz Jr and Sr, and Jos and Max Verstappen in 2015. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

Daniel Ricciardo: The Honey Badger (2016 – 2018)

When Verstappen joined Red Bull Racing just five races into the 2016 season, he was paired with Daniel Ricciardo, a proven race winner with an infectious grin. Ricciardo was no pushover, though, and was known for his late-braking overtakes and consistency.

In their first full season together in 2017, Ricciardo finished ahead of Verstappen in the championship standings, scoring 200 points to Verstappen’s 168. Mechanical reliability played a significant role in this outcome, with Verstappen suffering several retirements that year.

However, 2018 saw a shift in momentum. Verstappen outperformed Ricciardo in qualifying head-to-head, leading 14-7, and finished the season ahead in the championship standings with 249 points to Ricciardo’s 170. The balance of power had shifted and Verstappen’s rapid development made it clear he was the future of Red Bull Racing. The writing was on the wall that Ricciardo would play second fiddle to his younger teammate over the coming years, which led to him to departing the team at the end of the season to join Renault.

Related: Did Red Bull Miss Out On Something By Signing Lawson?

Daniel Ricciardo (L) and Max Verstappen. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

Pierre Gasly: A Tough Half-Season (2019)

Red Bull expects nothing but the best from its drivers and Pierre Gasly learned this the hard way in 2019. Promoted from Toro Rosso to partner Verstappen following Ricciardo’s departure, Gasly struggled to adapt to the demands of the team and its F1 car.

The numbers were stark throughout their 12-race partnership. Verstappen comprehensively out-qualified Gasly, leading 11-1 before Gasly was demoted back to Toro Rosso midway through the season. He outscored Verstappen in races on just one occasion. On the points front, Verstappen’s dominance was evident over the 12 races: 181 to Gasly’s 63.

Gasly’s demotion was a testament to Verstappen’s high standards within the team. Despite his struggles at Red Bull, Gasly would later bounce back, showing his resilience with a stunning win at Monza in 2020 in AlphaTauri (Toro Rosso-rebranded) colours.

Max Verstappen (L) and Pierre Gasly. Image: Marcel van Hoorn / Red Bull Content Pool

Alex Albon: A Rocky Road (2019 – 2020)

Alex Albon was brought in mid-2019 to replace Gasly and while his performance was an improvement, he still found it difficult to match Verstappen’s relentless pace. In the second half of the 2019 season, Verstappen outscored Albon 97 points to 52 over the season’s remaining nine races. The trend continued into 2020, with Verstappen finishing a staggering 109 points (214 to 105) ahead of his teammate in the championship.

Albon’s tenure at Red Bull highlighted just how challenging it was to partner with Verstappen. While Albon delivered moments of brilliance, he often found himself struggling to compete at the same level as his teammate.

Max Verstappen (L) and Alex Albon. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

Sergio Pérez: The Experienced Hand (2021 – 2024)

Red Bull’s search for a strong partner for Verstappen led them to Sergio Pérez, a seasoned driver known for his racecraft and tyre management. From the outset, Pérez brought stability to the second Red Bull seat, providing crucial support to Verstappen during his 2021 title battle against Lewis Hamilton.

In 2021, Verstappen’s dominance was clear, leading Pérez 20-2 in qualifying head-to-head and outscoring him 395.5 to 190 in points. However, Pérez’s defensive driving in races like Abu Dhabi played a pivotal role in Verstappen’s championship victory, cementing his place as a valuable team player.

The 2022 and 2023 seasons followed a similar pattern. While Pérez occasionally challenged Verstappen, particularly on street circuits, the champion-driver’s consistency and raw speed kept him firmly in control. By mid-2023, Verstappen’s winning streak and commanding performances further highlighted the gap between the two drivers. Pérez was eventually released from his Red Bull contract in 2024, following a dismal season in which he scored 152 points to Verstappen’s 437, and outpaced the Dutchman on one occasion in qualifying and races over 24 race weekends.

Max Verstappen (L) and Sergio Pérez. Image: Joseph Roby / Red Bull Content Pool

Lawson Must Take Note

Partnering with Verstappen is not just about driving fast – it’s about competing against one of the most naturally gifted drivers in F1 history. His ability to extract every ounce of performance from a car, combined with his relentless work ethic and racing instincts, sets him apart. This is what new Red Bull Racing signee Liam Lawson must keep in mind when he dons the racing suit as Verstappen’s new teammate in 2025. The four-time F1 Drivers’ champion has shown that he eats teammates for breakfast and will not consider helping the new recruit settle in at the expense of his own championship ambitions.

Teammates like Ricciardo, Gasly, and Pérez have all acknowledged the difficulty of matching Verstappen’s pace. While some, like Ricciardo, managed to hold their own for a while, others found themselves overwhelmed by the challenge. Verstappen’s teammates have faced the near-impossible task of competing against a driver who seems to operate on another level. Ultimately, Verstappen’s dominance isn’t just a testament to his talent and the high standards set as a team – it’s a benchmark in Formula 1.

When Lawson begins his tenure as a Red Bull driver he must remain calm and level-headed, because sharing a garage with Max Verstappen is a masterclass in perseverance…and humility.

Liam Lawson. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

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Five-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah took victory on stage 9. Source: Red Bull

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Al-Attiyah set the pace early on in his Dacia Sandrider, with the M-Sport Fords of Mattias Ekström and Mitch Guthrie close behind. Belgian Guillaume de Mevius was also in contention after just 37 km of Tuesday’s special with his X-Raid Mini and Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi also kept his Hilux in the front, eventually settling for third. In the end, Al-Attiyah’s pace saw him finish two minutes 47 seconds ahead of de Mevius.

“It was a good stage. I’m waiting to see how much time we have gained because it was a very quick stage. But I can be happy with the result. There are three days left and we are going to try and do our best,” Al-Attiyah said.

Ekström would go on to be fourth fastest, ahead of Overdrive Racing’s Rokas Baciusa – while his teammate Guthrie would end up just behind Baciuska. Cristina Gutierrez would also put in a strong effort in her Dacia Sandrider on stage nine, finishing eighth fastest.

Yazeed Al Rajhi leads The Dakar in his country of birth. Souce: ASO

It was a forgettable special for the Toyota Gazoo Racing outfit, as Guy Botterill’s plan to support teammate Henk Lategan for the rest of the Dakar backfired when the former crashed out after 272 km of the day’s special – leaving Lategan to cover the last 85 km on his own. Unfortunately, Lategan also had issues of his own on stage nine and would finish 11^th fastest on Tuesday – 16 minutes behind Al Rajhi.

“It’s a bit of disaster to be honest. It was really a mess, about 13 km in and we got lost. We thought we missed the waypoint but we actually had it. It wasn’t great and when we got lost we got one puncture and then towards the end we got another one and the wheel is actually flat. So, it was a messy, messy, messy day for us but it’s not the end of the world, we’re still in it. But it’s a bit of a disappointing day,” Lategan said

On Wednesday, the Dakar field will continue from Haradh to Shubaytah via a long liaison section that will cover some 520 km and an additional 115 km of special stage in an isolated section of Saudi Arabia known as the Empty Quarter.

Overall rankings

1. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) 45h 06m 54s
2. Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 45h 14m 03s
3. Mattias Ekström (Ford M-Sport) 45h 31m 44s
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) 45h 32m 15s
5. Mitch Guthrie (Ford M-Sport)  46h 13m 46s
6. Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory Team) 46h 13m 46s
7. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing) 46h 51m 35s
8. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 46h 53m 01s
9. Joao Ferreira (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) 47h 17m 56s
10. Brian Baragwanath (Century Racing Factory Team) 47h 38m 08s

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Henk Lategan extended his overall lead on stage 8 of the 2025 Dakar Rally

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Botteril and Murphy put up a considerable challenge to the leaders when they started posting faster times at the checkpoints around the middle of the day’s special. Despite starting the stage 29th, they finished just 1 minute 47 seconds behind Lategan and Cummings.

“It went well. Unfortunately, on the last hundred kilometres we had a tyre that was going flat, so we had to take it a bit easy and then just before we got to the dunes we had to put air in the tyre. So, we lost about a minute there, maybe a minute and a half. I think a win was on the cards today, it’s just unfortunate. We were trying really hard to get a win but second is good. The car felt really good and we’re looking forward to the last few days of the Dakar. South Africa is doing really well. We’ve built most of the cars and I’m not sure where Henk finished but we’re in the top three for the Dakar overall”.

The Century Racing Factory Team also performed well on stage eight, which consisted of 487 km of special stage and 737 km in total. Frenchman Mathieu Serradori and South African Brian Baragwanath were third and fourth fastest on the day. Two-time Dakar winner Joan “Nani” Roma was the fastest of the M-Sport Fords today, finishing fifth.

Although M-Sport Ford’s Mattias Ekström (third overall in the rankings) passed yesterday’s stage winner Lucas Moraes early on, the Swede soon found himself doing battle with Overdrive’s Yazeed Al Rajhi (second overall) and Dacia’s Nasser Al-Attiyah – with the Saudi local Al Rajhi emerging the fastest of the trio.

On Tuesday 14 January, the field will race from the capital Riyadh, to Haradh. The short 357 km special will consist of mostly fast dirt tracks – an advantage to those who can consistently be fast.

Overall rankings

1. Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing)
2. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing)
3. Mattias Ekstrom (Ford M-Sport)
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders)
5. Mitch Guthrie (Ford M-Sport)
6. Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory Team)
7. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing)
8. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing)
9. Joao Ferreira (X-Raid Mini JCW Team)
10. Brian Baragwanath (Century Racing Factory Team)

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Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Lucaes Moraes was winner of stage 7. Source: Motorpress.

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“I was so mad with myself about some small mistakes that I made earlier this rally and you know, if we want to be a champion of this rally we have to really pay attention to the details. Today, we had a good road position, so we decided to go on full attack. The car was handling so nicely and it’s such a pleasure to drive it. Yeah, it was a good day.”

Despite the high-profile withdrawal of defending Champion Carlos Sainz, the Ford M-Sport team has been putting up a strong fight, with consistent top finishes. Mattias Ekström and Mitch Guthrie brought their Raptors in second and third fastest on Sunday. Qatari five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah brought his Dacia Sandrider home in fourth and Moraes’ Toyota Gazoo teammate Seth Quintero was fifth fastest.

Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Seth Quintero leads Ford M-Sport’s Mitch Guthrie in the Dakar dunes. Source: Red Bull.

The waypoint issue was addressed by the organisers (see video below), who have tried to address the matter as fairly as possible, but it has no doubt left a sour taste in the mouths of the competitors who went through the arduous effort of finding the near-impossible section and actually completing it. The driver who has suffered the most loss is South Africa’s Henk Lategan, who has put on a flawless Dakar drive so far and had an eight-minute lead reduced to just 21 seconds.

“There was one area where everybody was getting lost. Brett and I also got lost for quite a few minutes, but then we decided to go all the way back. We went really far back and then followed the road book again and managed to find the way and find the waypoint first. So, we overtook all of the cars that started in front of us in the stage, and we were opening the stage for most of the way. And now, I’m not sure what’s happening, but it looks like they took out a piece of the stage. If that’s going to be the case, we’re going to lose out. We did a good job in finding the waypoint first, and now it looks like they’re basically applying a penalty to the people that managed to find the waypoint, because then after that, we had to open. So, it will be really unfair, but let’s see. Maybe they’ll fix it,” Lategan said.

Overall rankings

1. Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 37h 13m 08s
2. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) 37h 13m 29s
3. Mattias Ekström (Ford M-Sport) 37h 23m 33s
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) 37h 35m 05s
5. Mitch Guthrie (Ford M-Sport) 37h 53m 09s
6. Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory Team) 38h 07m 28s
7. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing) 38h 26m 13s
8. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 38h 41m 40s
9. Joao Ferreria (X-raid Mini JCW Team) 39h 11m 33s
10. Brian Baragwanath (Century Racing Factory Team) 39h 20m 46s

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Guillaume De Mevius scored his second ever career win on stage six of the 2025 Dakar Rally. Source: Red Bull

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At the day’s first checkpoint at the 39 km mark, Botteril’s Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux was 23 seconds clear of the X-Raid Mini of De Mevius and 30 seconds ahead of Saudi Yazeed Al Rajhi’s Overdrive Racing Hilux. Botteril maintained a solid lead over the rest of the Dakar field until the 440 km mark, where the Chevrolet V8-powered MD Rallye Sport Prototype of Frenchman Simon Vitse blasted past for the next two checkpoints – until De Mevius took charge, that is.

“For now, we’re sitting at the top of the leaderboard. We had a good stage, finally! Our goal was to claw back some time and pick up points for the championship, so we gave it everything we had. My car still bears a few scars from last week and today we did a bit of flying, but thankfully we didn’t hit anything. It’s not exactly my kind of terrain. On the sand, I can hold my own, but I know I’ve still got room to improve,” De Mevius said.

Mattias Ekstrom is third overall, 22 minutes behind Henk Lategan. Source: Red Bull

Botteril would eventually finish fourth fastest, behind De Mevius’ X-Raid teammate Joao Ferreira and Nasser Al-Attiyah – who is desperately trying to minimize Henk Lategan’s lead. Al Rajhi managed fifth fastest on Saturday and is just 7 minutes 16 seconds behind Lategan overall. Eighth-fastest on stage six, Swede Mattias Ekström still holds third overall.

“It was a little bit of a shaky start, to be honest. This morning getting into the first bit of dunes and especially these rough tracks in the dunes was a little bit tricky. We didn’t push really hard, we tried to be safe today, especially with the coming days and the bikes not opening the road, so we don’t really want to be close to the front,” said Lategan.

Nasser Al-Attiyah is still within striking distance of the top three. Source: Red Bull

Stage six was also marked by the spectacular crash of Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq, who at the time of writing have yet to withdraw outright. Just before the midway break, the French pair were running 10th overall. For Sunday’s stage seven, the car categories will no longer benefit from the tracks of the best motorcyclists as two and four-wheeled machines will be sent their separate ways for a 412 km special before meeting at the same bivouac as the night before.

Overall rankings

1. Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 23h 51m 36s
2. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) 32h 58m 52s
3. Mattias Ekström (Ford M-Sport) 33h 14m 03s
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) 33h 22m 01s
5. Mitch Guthrie (Ford M-Sport) 33h 41m 52s
6. Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory Team) 33h 48m 04s
7. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing) 34h 05m 54s
8. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 34h 28m 13s
9. Joao Ferreira (X-Raid Mini JCW Team) 34h 38m 49s
10. Brian Baragwanath (Century Racing Factory Team) 34h 57m 06s

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The post Dakar 2025: De Mevius Wins Stage 6, Lategan Still Leads appeared first on CAR Magazine.