The first stage of the Dakar 2025 has come to an end, and it’s been a wild ride. The favorites have been playing a game of strategy, trying to balance their speed with the need to conserve energy and avoid risks. But as we all know, the Dakar is full of surprises, and today was no exception.
Many of the top contenders chose to take a cautious approach, stopping to waste time and hoping to fall behind the rest of the pack. But not Carlos Sainz, who had a tough day with a puncture and problems with his digital navigation tablets. Despite this, he will start tomorrow’s stage in a relatively good position, seventh overall and ahead of many of his rivals.
Sebastian Loeb and Nasser Al-Attiyah, on the other hand, chose to play it safe, leaving themselves a buffer of around eight minutes behind Sainz. But as we all know that the Dakar is a marathon, not a sprint, and there’s still a long way to go.
In the midst of all this chaos, Cristina Gutierrez emerged as a surprise contender, finishing in a historic top 5 position in the car category. And Guerlain Chicherit took the stage win with his new Mini, proving that he’s a force to be reckoned with.
And now, the real challenge begins. Tomorrow’s stage will be a marathon, with over 900 kilometers of racing and no assistance from mechanics. The drivers will have to be self-sufficient, relying on their skills and experience to navigate the treacherous terrain. It’s going to be a wild ride, and we can’t wait to see what happens next.
Classification of stage 1 in cars
Dakar 2025
- Guerlain Chicherit (Mini) 4h 35:53
- Seth Quintero (Toyota) at 50 s
- Saood Variawa (Toyota) at 1:03
- Martin Prokop (Ford) at 1:04
- Cristina Gutierrez (Dacia) at 1:28
- Joao Ferreira (MINi) at 1:53
- Carlos Sainz (Ford) at 2:32
- Lucas Moraes (Toyota) at 2:33
- Toby Price (Toyota) at 3:13
- Henk Lategan (Toyota) at 3:27
Dakar general classification in cars
Dakar 2025
- Guerlain Chicherit (Mini) 4h 35:53
- Seth Quintero (Toyota) at 50 s
- Saood Variawa (Toyota) at 1:03
- Martin Prokop (Ford) at 1:04
- Cristina Gutierrez (Dacia) at 1:28
- Joao Ferreira (MINi) at 1:53
- Carlos Sainz (Ford) at 2:32
- Lucas Moraes (Toyota) at 2:33
- Toby Price (Toyota) at 3:13
- Henk Lategan (Toyota) at 3:27