Dakar 2025: Two stages still remain

Dakar 2025: Two stages still remain

Despite a gruelling desert race, the temperatures have been nothing short of chilly. As racers prepared for the tenth stage of the 2025 Dakar, they were relieved to have some heat on their machines. With dunes aplenty ahead of the racers and two stages remaining, it's make-or-break time for the local boy and prior leader, Henk Lategan.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings have held the lead since the second stage, but Dakar Legend Yazeed Al Rajhi's impressive performance on stage nine initially knocked him out of first place. But the South African boys got a lucky break on the 10th stage; while only finishing 11th, his current rival had a shocker of a run and finished 27th. Henk regained the lead with a two-minute gap.

The race in the desert is extremely tight, with even a minor puncture having the potential to cost either team the title. A little further back in third, Mattias Ekstrom has shown a strong level of consistency, and although he sits over 20 minutes behind the leaders, he isn’t out of the title yet. Although the fastest Dacia in the desert, driven by another Dakar legend, Nasser Al-Attiyah, is threatening Mattias Ekstrom's podium spot, sitting just four minutes outside of it, Mattias's Ford is looking remarkably fast.

As we head into the last two stages, it's make-it-or-break-it time for the drivers. And if you know the Dakar, breaking it isn’t an over-exaggeration. At this point, every second counts, so be prepared for the best highlights and high-speed action to come. But with this high level of pressure comes with it a need for a cool and level head as consistency remains the name of the game. Yes, it would benefit any driver to finish first, but finishing sixth and intact means you are still in the race. 

On a slightly different note, the excellence displayed by the locally built Hilux machines is making me one proud Saffa. It's incredible to see our machines dominate the world of rally raid, and although this isn’t a brand-new appreciation for our bush-tested machines, it's good to know that whether the driver bleeds green and gold or is from another nation, the heart behind the drive was birthed right here in SA. 

What should you be watching out for? At this point, the Dakar title is a battle between Henk Lategan and Yazeed Al Rajhi.  While Yazeed is a seasoned Dakar competitor with more experience than most on the course, Henk, with only three prior outings, lacks this experience, but his consistency is commendable. Obviously, you know where my money is going, but it's sure to be a gripping last couple of days.

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