The Dakar Rally 2025 (formerly known as Paris-Dakar) has already offered its share of surprises and twists, with varying fortunes for the drivers taking part. From car misadventures to motorcycle exploits, the competition leaves no respite for the participants.
Dakar Motos: Sanders leads, Santolino surprises
On the motorcycle side, Daniel Sanders continues to dominate the overall standings, after three consecutive victories (prologue and marathon). A series unseen in the motorcycle category since that achieved by Spaniard Joan Barreda, in 2017, between Bolivia and Argentina. Imperial until then, he conceded almost 15 minutes on the 3rd leg, seeing his overall lead melt away against his pursuers, Skyler Howes and Ross Branch.
The 3ᵉ stage was therefore marked by the unexpected victory of Lorenzo Santolino, his first. The Spaniard, riding a Sherco, covered the 327-kilometer special stage, shortened due to bad weather, in 3h44min34sec. This performance offers a prestigious victory to the French brand, absent from the summits since 2019. South African Bradley Cox, penalized for speeding, lost his second place to Ricky Brabec (Honda).
Dakar Motos 2025 standings: 3rd stage / 14
1. Sanders (AUS) - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING - 20h05'00"
2. Howes (USA) - MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 6'51"
3. Branch (BOT) - HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY at 6'59"
4. Brabec (USA) - MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC 9'15"
5. Schareina (ESP) - MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC, 13'11" behind the winner
...
8. Van Beveren (FRA) - MONSTER ENERGY HONDA HRC at 21'18"
...
17. Theric (FRA) - KOVE at 1h24'38" ..
...
20. Dumontier (FRA) - TEAM DUMONTIER RACING at 1h31'21" ..
Adrien Van Beveren: ups and downs
Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren had an eventful day on Tuesday. Victim of a crash at the start of the stage, he finished in 12th place, despite losing his front brake. His perseverance enabled him to remain in the top 10 overall, although he is now 16 minutes behind Sanders.
Speaking to L'Équipe 21, Adrien Van Beveren explains:
I was in the dust of Tosha Schareina, who had lost his way and got back on the track just ahead of me. At the 20ᵉ kilometer mark, I took a bad rock and went over it. I took a big hit but the airbag played its part. I wanted to set off again right away, following the tracks and riding for a few kilometers before reading the roadbook, but I went back in the opposite direction. I thought I'd better get my bearings! But my front brake was gone... I went through all kinds of emotions.
Dakar Autos: Sébastien Loeb, the fault of bad luck?
Sébastien Loeb came through the dreaded 48-hour stage of the Dakar 2025, but his ambitions collapsed on stage 3. After rolling over at the start of the special, he had to make repairs twice, at kilometer 12 and then at kilometer 63. Relegated to 16ᵉ place and trailing by over an hour, his hopes of victory were already fading.
As might have been expected given the damage, and the precedent set by Sainz the day before (the title holder was also forced to retire), it was finally the FIA that put an end to his challenge: the roll bar on his vehicle, deemed too damaged, forced the stewards to exclude him for safety reasons. It was a difficult decision for the non-winning world rally champion, who seemed determined to carry on regardless.
Criticism soon followed. Philippe Sanfourche, a journalist on L'Équipe du Soir, pointed to Loeb's limitations on this type of terrain: "His talent is monumental, but the Dakar requires adaptation, which is not his strong point." This was his 9ᵉ attempt.
Dakar Autos 2025 standings: 3rd stage / 14
1. Lategan (AFS) / Cummings (AFS) - TOYOTA GAZOO RACING - 19h04'53"
2. Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Boulanger (ITA) - DACIA SANDRIDERS 7'17" behind
3. Ekstrom (SUE) / Bergkvist (SUE) - FORD M-SPORT at 9'34"
4. Al Rajhi (ARS) / Gottschalk (ALL) - OVERDRIVE RACING at 11'45"
5. Moraes (BRE) / Monleon (ESP) - TOYOTA GAZOO RACING at 19'40"
...
7. Serradori (FRA) / Minaudier (FRA) - SRT 21'15" ..
...
12. Chicherit (FRA) / Winocq (FRA) - X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM at 48'14" ..
Dakar Rally: Neels Theric, the French revelation
He's not the most eagerly awaited, but Neels Theric stands out for his consistency. Ranked 17ᵉ overall, he is also 4ᵉ in the Rally2 category. The driver from Aix-en-Provence is putting in a solid performance, illustrating both his talent and the reliability of his machine. He is, for the time being, the second-best French performer (out of 29 entries), behind rally-raid world runner-up Adrien Van Beveren.
Cómo sacar la moto de la arena, by Adrien Van Beveren en el Rally Dakar.pic.twitter.com/EirvOUaSRa
VSports Team (@VSportsTM) January 6, 2025
With capricious weather conditions and ever more demanding stages, the Dakar 2025 continues to put organisms to the test. Set course for AlUla this Wednesday.
Main photo credits: VALERY HACHE / AFP
