Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally. The previous record was 22 set last Saturday by American Seth Quintero. Variawa shrugged off a late puncture to win the 327-kilometer third stage from Bisha north to Al Henakiyah.

Local favourite Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the 48-hour second stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Monday, despite a penalty for speeding, as South African Henk Lategan took the overall lead for the factory Toyota team.

South African Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings have raced into the overall lead of the 2025 Dakar Rally in their Toyota Gazoo Racing DKR Hilux Evo bakkie after their second-place finish on Stage 2 on Sunday.

On two wheels, after the 48 HR Chrono stage, Daniel Sanders has opened up a gap in the general standings and leads Skyler Howes by 12’36’’. Ross Branch is third, 4’’ behind Howes and 8’’ ahead of the American’s team-mate Tosha Schareina. Title holder Ricky Brabec completes the top 5, 15’09’’ behind Sanders.

Carlos Sainz's Dakar Rally ended on Monday after the defending champion's damaged Ford Raptor was ruled out after just two stages of the gruelling two-week race in the Saudi Arabian desert.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi came out on top in the 48-hour chrono stage at the Dakar Rally as Henk Lategan took the overall lead. Toyota privateer Al-Rajhi finished with a time of 10h32m54s, 4m29s up on Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah after the duo pulled clear on the first day of the mammoth stage.