Yazeed Al Rajhi secured Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2 victory with Henk Lategan taking overall lead while Daniel Sanders dominated the bike category as the demanding 48-hour Chrono significantly altered the standings.
The ’48-hour Chrono’ stage is a unique format within the Dakar Rally that stretches over two days and requires competitors to navigate a grueling 967-kilometer special stage without team assistance overnight.
Saudi driver Yazeed Al Rajhi emerged victorious in this grueling stage, completing it in a time of 10 hours, 56 minutes, and 54 seconds. Despite incurring a two-minute penalty for speeding, the Overdrive Toyota driver demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill throughout the course.
Al Rajhi’s performance was particularly impressive given the challenging conditions, which included difficult navigation through divots and dust that made driving exceptionally tough. His co-driver, Timo Gottschalk, played a crucial role in maintaining focus and strategy throughout the long stage.
Following closely behind Al Rajhi was South African Henk Lategan, who finished just four minutes and sixteen seconds later in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux. Lategan’s strong showing allowed him to take the overall lead in the rally standings after Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2.
Meanwhile, Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah managed to secure third place for the stage after briefly taking the lead early on. His Dacia Sandrider crossed the finish line approximately 11 minutes behind Al Rajhi.
Lithuanian Rocas Bacuiska finished an impressive fourth overall in his Toyota Hilux ahead of Century Racing’s Mathieu Serradori with Overdrive’s Juan Cruz Yacopini finishing 12 seconds further back in sixth place.
Meanwhile, Mattias Ekstrom stopped his Ford for several minutes before km 739, dropping off the stage podium to finish Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2 in seventh position.
Another notable performance came from nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb, who had struggled with engine overheating issues during the first part of Stage 2.
After resolving these problems, Loeb and his co-driver Fabian Lurquin pushed hard to recover lost time and finished ninth overall for this stage, reducing his deficit to the leaders and keeping his hopes alive for a potential overall victory in this year’s rally.
Toby Price continued to surprise on his debut in the Ultimate class with ninth while Benediktas Vanagas and Szymon Gospodarczyk made their first appearance in the top 10 after bringing their Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics Hilux home behind the Australian.
Seasoned competitor and defending champion Carlos Sainz Sr faced significant challenges during this stage. After rolling his Ford Raptor on Day 1, he managed to complete the stage but finished over an hour and a half behind Al Rajhi.
READ ALSO: Yazeed Al-Rajhi leads Dakar Rally 2025 48-hour chrono stage as Sainz and Loeb struggle
This setback placed Sainz well down in the rankings, now sitting at 26th overall. His misfortunes highlight the unpredictable nature of the grueling Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2, where even experienced drivers can encounter life-altering challenges.
Daniel Sanders Reigns Dominance in Bike Category
In the motorcycle category, Australian rider Daniel Sanders continued his dominant run by winning Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2 as well. This victory marked his third consecutive win after claiming both the prologue and Stage 1 earlier in the rally.
Sanders completed this segment in a time of 11 hours, 12 minutes, and 13 seconds, showcasing his exceptional talent and determination. He finished ahead of French rider Adrien van Beveren and American Skyler Howes, who took second and third place respectively.
Sanders’ strategy involved leveraging his early start position from Stage 1 to gain an advantage over his competitors. He navigated through challenging soft dunes while managing to maintain speed and control.
The Rally 2 class also saw fierce competition with Jacob Argubright putting up an impressive fight against Edgar Canet for supremacy within this category.
Argubright’s performance allowed him to secure a place among the top contenders despite riding on a customer Honda CRF450RX Rally bike.
The results from Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 2 have reshaped the provisional standings significantly. Henk Lategan now leads overall with a time of 15 hours, 40 minutes, and 30 seconds—four minutes and forty-five seconds ahead of Yazeed Al Rajhi. Al Attiyah remains competitive in third place as well.
In contrast, Sanders holds a commanding lead in the motorcycle category with a total time of 16 hours, 10 minutes, and 31 seconds—twelve minutes and thirty-six seconds ahead of Howes.
As competitors prepare for Stage 3 on Tuesday—a shorter yet still challenging 495-kilometer route between Bisha and Al Henakiyah—the stakes continue to rise.
Each stage brings new obstacles that test both physical endurance and mental fortitude; thus far, this year’s Dakar Rally has proven to be one of intense competition marked by unexpected twists and turns.
