The main contenders for victory on the 2025 Dakar Rally

The 2025 Dakar Rally guarantees to be one of the thrilling in current historical past, with a number of producers and drivers able to profitable the well-known Touareg trophy.

The rally-raid will start on 3 January with the Prologue in Bisha and conclude on 17 January in Shubaytah after 12 phases and greater than 5,000 kilometres of working throughout Saudi Arabia.

Right here’s a listing of drivers thought-about to be the favourites for prime honours within the Final class:

Having scored victory for Audi on its farewell look in Dakar, Carlos Sainz Sr is now embracing a brand new problem with Ford and M-Sport.

The Spaniard could also be 62 years previous, however he takes on Dakar with the identical enthusiasm as all the time. If he wins in 2025, it could be his fifth total triumph in Dakar, though it gained’t be a simple feat because the Raptor remains to be in its early days of competitors and hasn’t accrued mileage in an occasion of this scale.

Ford was in a position to put the automobile by way of its paces in Rally Morocco, the place Sainz got here near a stage win earlier than being hit by technical troubles. However in comparison with a number of the different autos within the area, Ford’s new challenger remains to be a comparatively unproven amount.

That stated, Sainz needs to be thought-about a favorite for victory given his intensive look in Dakar. Having participated within the occasion a complete of 17 instances with all kinds of producers and brought 42 stage wins and 4 total victories, it could be silly to rule him out of this 12 months’s reckoning.

#200 Nasser Racing Prodrive Hunter: Nasser Al-Attiyah

Photograph by: A.S.O.

Hailing from the Center East, Nasser Al-Attiyah is all the time a critical risk in Dakar Rally. With 5 total wins in 20 appearances, plus 11 podiums and 48 particular person stage wins, he’s now inside touching distance of Stephane Peterhansel and Ari Vatanen’s data on 4 wheels.

Though the Dacia Sandrider is a brand new automobile, Al-Attiyah will be capable to depend on the expertise Prodrive gained within the improvement of the Hunter. Furthermore, the Renault Group carried out a demanding testing programme to get all the pieces prepared for January. The exhausting work already paid off with victory within the Rally Morocco, making Dacia the producer to beat in Saudi Arabia.

Sebastien Loeb

Sebastien Loeb, Dacia Sandrider

Photograph by: Dacia

One of many biggest rally drivers of all time, Sebastien Loeb continues to chase a maiden victory in Dakar. Having been on the beginning line on eight events and scored 28 stage wins and 5 total podiums, he’s nonetheless focusing on the massive prize so as to add to his 9 titles within the World Rally Championship.

Final 12 months, a setback within the ultimate phases prevented him from combating for the general win with the Prodrive-built and Bahrain-sponsored Hunter. Identified for his unbelievable single-stage pace, he could be hoping to lastly get all the pieces proper this time round.

The Frenchman additionally performed a number one function within the improvement of the Sandrider and got here near being the highest performer throughout the Dacia contingent in Morocco.

Nani Roma, M-Sport NWM

Photograph by: M-Sport

Nani Roma is gunning for a 3rd total victory in Dakar, having triumphed on bikes in 2004 and gained within the vehicles class precisely a decade later.

The Spaniard desires to deliver pleasure to his complete household after an accident involving his son, who is ready to stroll once more with the assistance of an exoskeleton.

Roma can be a serious a part of Ford’s assault with M-Sport and his knowledge, which proved key to his victory in Baja Hungary with the Raptor, can be on show as soon as once more.

#201 Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux Overdrive: Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Timo Gottschalk

Photograph by: A.S.O.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi will as soon as once more have dwelling benefit in Dakar in 2025. Having competed within the rally 10 instances and even completed on the rostrum, he is aware of what it’s like to guide the rally in tough situations. He held the highest spot in 2024 early on till an accident pressured him to tug out of the rally.

Al-Rajhi might be very quick once in a while and is energetic in cross-country competitors all the 12 months, having fought for the 2024 World-Rally Raid title till the ultimate phases of the season.

With a widely known Toyota Hilux T1+ operated by Overdrive Racing, he has the equipment beneath his belt to combine with the massive boys. However solely time will inform if he has the endurance to make it to the tip.

Lucas Moraes

#206 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR DKR Hilux: Lucas Moraes

Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool

The brand new era is making its presence felt in Dakar and Toyota teenager Lucas Moraes is taken into account among the finest among the many contemporary bunch.

Moraes shocked everybody by ending on the rostrum on his debut in Dakar in 2023. A slew of issues meant he completed solely ninth final outing however the expertise he gained on the Hilux in 2024 makes him a real contender for victory on his third try.

As well as, he can depend on Spanish co-pilot Armand Monleon, who helped him end third in W2RC this 12 months.

Mattias Ekstrom

Mattias Ekstrom, M Sport

Photograph by: Ford Efficiency

Though higher recognized for his circuit racing exploits, Mattias Ekstrom can also be extraordinarily succesful in relation to rallying within the desert. A fast take a look at his exploits in Excessive E, Dakar and even the World Rallycross Championships exhibits he’s a secure pair of arms regardless of the terrain he’s driving on.

Ekstrom performed an necessary function in Sainz’s victory in Dakar final January, however for a driver synonymous with Audi, 2025 marks a brand new chapter in his profession. The Swede has been recruited as a part of Ford’s assault and, along with Sainz and Roma, he can be one of many drivers to beat with the brand new Raptor.

Honourable Mentions

#209 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR DKR Hilux: Giniel de Villiers

Photograph by: Toyota Racing

There are a number of different drivers who shouldn’t be discounted for victory, specific in an occasion like Dakar which might be so unpredictable.

Essentially the most skilled title is 2009 occasion winner Giniel de Villiers. With 21 participations and a manufacturing unit Toyota beneath him, he has a robust likelihood of taking a second profession win.

One other Toyota driver able to difficult for the highest spot is Seth Quintero, who recorded 12 stage victories within the Challenger class in 2022. Though the American had a tough time after stepping as much as the primary division in 2024, he has all of the instruments to struggle for victory.

Rokas Baciuska, who’s making his debut after being world champion within the two decrease classes, is one other driver to be careful for. He may even be driving a Toyota Hilux, albeit one entered by the privateer Overdrive group. Baciuska is not going to have his traditional co-driver Oriol Vidal, who selected to deal with skilled biking, however will be capable to depend on former bike rider Oriol Mena as his navigator.

In the meantime, Toby Worth and Sam Sunderland are additionally making the change from two wheels to 4 in one other Overdrive-entered Toyota Hilux. Worth can be in control of driving, with Sunderland aiding him from the co-driver’s seat. Collectively, they’ve 4 victories in Dakar’s bikes class on their CVs, all on KTM equipment.

Cristina Gutierrez, the winner of the T3 class this 12 months, will kind part of Dacia’s assault on Dakar. Given her previous expertise in rallying and off-road racing, she shouldn’t be discounted from this 12 months’s occasion.

One other darkish horse might be Mitch Guthrie Jr, who’s a part of a Ford contingent that features big-ticket drivers like Sainz, Ekstrom and Roma.

Guillaume de Mevius, whose second place end in Dakar with Overdrive is commonly neglected, may additionally spring a shock as he joins Mini in 2025.