Al-Attiyah Regains Momentum But What’s Al-Rajhi’s Hidden Agenda

Dakar 2025: A Three-Way Battle for Supremacy

The second week of Dakar 2025 has kicked off with a bang, as the car category witnesses an intense battle for the top spot. The 600-kilometer stage saw Lategan, Al-Rajhi, and Al-Attiyah neck and neck, with the Qatari driver from Dacia emerging as the best of the three.

Al-Attiyah’s impressive performance saw him surpass Al-Rajhi by 1:34 and Lategan by 4:35. Despite this, Lategan remains in the lead, with Al-Attiyah in attack mode, determined to make up for lost time. The Qatari driver’s strategy is to maintain a consistent pace without pushing too hard, as he knows that opening the track tomorrow could be challenging.

A Stage of Two Battles

The stage saw two distinct battles: one for partial victory and the other for the general classification. The fight for partial victory was dominated by outsiders, including De Mevius, Joao Ferreira, and Guy Botterill, who took the lead until the final stretch. De Mevius ultimately secured the first partial victory for a car other than a Toyota.

Meanwhile, the protagonists of the general classification, including Lategan, Al-Rajhi, and Al-Attiyah, had an interesting day, with Lategan continuing to dominate the race. The first part of the stage, which featured rocky terrain, proved challenging for Al-Rajhi, who punctured twice but managed to recover thanks to his co-driver Saood Variawa.

A Strategic Game

Al-Rajhi’s strategy was to attack fully in the second half of the stage, which allowed him to gain time on his rivals. However, he ultimately lost 1:34 to Al-Attiyah and excelled by only a minute over his teammate Lategan. Al-Attiyah, on the other hand, had to push until the end, knowing that he could pay for it tomorrow.

Lategan managed to save another day, maintaining a 7:16 lead over Al-Rajhi, 22:27 over Ekström, and 30:25 over Al-Attiyah. The South African driver’s strategy is to maintain a consistent pace and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

Monleón and Moraes Out of the Running

The bad news for the Spanish team came in the form of an early breakdown for Armand Monleon and Lucas Moraes, who were riding in fifth place overall. The breakdown occurred at kilometer 17, ruining any chance of fighting for the podium or victory.