Henk Lategan’s triumph in Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8 solidified his lead in the overall rankings as Toyota Gazoo Racing continued dominating this year’s competition.
The stage which took place on January 13, 2025, saw competitors navigate a challenging route from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh, encompassing a timed special of 487 kilometers followed by a liaison of 250 kilometers.
Henk Lategan driving alongside his Toyota Gazoo Racing co-driver Brett Cummings completed Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8 in a remarkable time of 4h51m54s, marking his fifth stage win this year.
Despite incurring a two-minute penalty for speeding Lategan managed to secure victory with a margin of 1m47s over his teammate Guy Botterill and co-driver Dennis Murphy. His consistent performance has allowed him to extend his overall lead to an impressive 5m41s over Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who is currently in second place.
Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8 began with Lucas Moraes leading the cars out onto the course after his Stage 7 win. However, opening the road proved to be a disadvantage as competitors often struggle with navigation and pace when they are tasked with the daunting role.
Henk Lategan’s strategy was to capitalize on his starting position, which allowed him to navigate through the field effectively. He faced challenges early on when he and his team got lost in one of the canyons but managed to recover quickly and regain their momentum.
Meanwhile, Guy Botterill’s performance was equally commendable as he pushed hard throughout the stage often matching or exceeding Lategan’s times at various checkpoints. However, a slow puncture late in the race hampered his chances for victory.
Despite this setback, Botterill expressed satisfaction with their overall performance and noted that they were in an excellent position for the remaining stages of the rally.
The support roles played by other Toyota Gazoo Racing teams were crucial during Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8. Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet acted as water carriers for Lategan and Cummings, ensuring they had assistance when needed despite their own struggles earlier in the rally.
Meanwhile, Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz also had a noteworthy day despite facing their own challenges. They finished the stage 10th with a broken windscreen after being struck by debris from another competitor’s vehicle.
Other notable performances included Century Racing drivers Mathieu Serradori and Brian Baragwanath, who finished third and fourth respectively. Nani Roma from Ford M-Sport claimed fifth place while Yazeed Al Rajhi took sixth after losing valuable time in his pursuit of Lategan.
Meanwhile, Orlen Jipocar’s Martin Prokop, X-Raid Mini’s Joao Ferreira and Overdrive Toyota’s Rokas Baciuska finished 7th,8th and 9th respectively. Nasser Al-Attiyah from Dacia Sandriders struggled throughout the stage to finish in 11th.
Benavides wins as KTM dominates
In the motorcycle category, Luciano Benavides from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing claimed victory in Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8, finishing with a time of 4h50m6s. His performance was particularly impressive given that he assisted fellow competitor Pablo Quintanilla after a crash earlier in the day.
Luciano Benavides who also won Stage 5 finished just over two minutes ahead of Adrien Van Beveren from Monster Energy Honda HRC Rally, who crossed the line in second place after receiving time back for assisting Quintanilla.
Tosha Schareina also delivered an impressive performance for Honda, finishing third just over two minutes behind Benavides. Ricky Brabec and Skyler Howes rounded out the top five positions in motorcycles.
Meanwhile Daniel Sanders who has been leading the overall rankings finished seventh but maintained a comfortable cushion over his closest rivals.
Overall, Henk Lategan’s Dakar Rally 2025 Stage 8 victory not only highlights his skill and determination but also reflects Toyota Gazoo Racing’s dominance in this year’s event.
It is evident that Toyota has established a strong foothold in this year’s competition having secured seven out of eight stages completed so far, including victories by Yazeed Al Rajhi and Lategan himself.
However, with four stages remaining – including some that are expected to feature particularly tough dune sections where experienced drivers like Nasser Al-Attiyah thrive – anything can happen.
