DAKAR 2025

Lategan eliminates Al-Attiyah and leaves the Dakar in a one-on-one with Al-Rajhi

It had to be Henk Lategan's day (Toyota) and the young South African did not fail. The leader of the Dakar 2025 in cars has scored - as expected - the victory in the eighth stage taking advantage of his strategic advantage over the rest of the favourites.

Lategan, the big winner... The young South African started today 15th, compared to the advanced position of Ekström (3rd), Al-Attiyah (4th), Al-Rajhi (6th), so he had all the cards in his hand. The Swede had to lead the stage (remember, today again without the traces of the motorcycles), although in the last 150 km that role of guide passed to Nasser Al-Attiyah. Lategan's three rivals basically rode together throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the South African was charging in from behind. He took the lead at kilometre 130... and did not relinquish that position until the finish, increasing his lead with each split. In the end, he left with a juicy lead of 5:20 over Al-Rajhi, 12:17 over Al-Attiyah and 18:30 over Ekström.

Tomorrow Lategan could suffer... but it is a conventional and short stage, so that in the first of the Empty Quarter, the 10th he would again have - theoretically - an advantage over his rivals. And he would only have to defend his reins in the 11th... It looks good for Giniel de Villiers' pupil, who now has a lead of 5:21 over Al-Rajhi, 28:55 over Ekström and 34:14 over Al-Attiyah. 

Al-Attiyah, defeated... For Al-Attiyah it was a dreadful day, as in addition to widening his gap with Lategan, Al-Rajhi put another 6:57 on him. The only consolation for the Qatari is that he has cut 6:13 off Ekström in the fight for the podium.

"It was a difficult day, in which we had to open the track on several occasions and it was not easy. We passed Ekström in the dunes, but we could not do more. There are still four days left. We will see what happens," said the five-time champion at the finish line in a sad tone.

Today we also saw a great performance from Nani Roma with the Ford. The Folgueroles native - whose role in the race is now only to help Ekström and Guthrie - was able to run without hesitation today (he started 19th, while his teammates were at the front) and achieved a creditable fifth partial position. Tomorrow he will have to wait for his companions and do some backpacking work.

Tomorrow the ninth stage will be held, between Riyadh and Haradh, with a timed distance of 381 kilometres. The race will head southwest towards the Empty Quarter, the vast desert of the Arabian Peninsula that will be the scene of the last three days of the Dakar 2025.

-Provisional car classification, stage 8

Dakar 2025:

Henk Lategan (Toyota) - 4h 51:54

Guy Botterill (Toyota) at 1:47

Mathieu Serradori (Century) at 4:04

Brian Baragwanath (Century) at 4:09

Nani Roma (Ford) at 5:17

Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota) at 5:20

Martin Prokop (Ford) at 6:19

Joao Ferreira (Mini) at 6:42

Rokas Baciuska (Toyota) at 6:44

Seth Quintero (Toyota) at 8:22

-General car classification

Dakar 2025:

Henk Lategan (Toyota) - 42h 05:02

Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota) at 5:41

Mattias Ekström (Ford) at 28:55

Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia) at 34:14

Mitch Guthrie (Ford) at 55:39

Mathieu Serradori (Century) at 58:24

Juan Cruz Yacopini (Toyota) 1h 32:11

Seth Quintero (Toyota) at 1h 36:54

Joao Ferreira (Mini) at 6:42

Brian Baragwanath (Century) at 4:09

by Enrique Naranjo