Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk use the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally to gain a cushion Late starters favored: gap in the overall standings grows to 5:41 minutes Long, demanding stage towards the capital: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk do pioneering work in the final stage...
100% dunes, 100% Yazeed and Timo: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk go into the tougher marathon stage as “Dakar” leaders
Further contributions
Jackpot at the Grande Casino – Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk within shouting distance of the “Dakar” lead
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk finish seventh on the day to reduce the gap to the leaders to 21 seconds Incorrect directions in the road book mislead all participants - sector time canceled Navigationally and technically tricky stage around Dawadimi through...
Back in action – good start to the second “Dakar” week for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk reduce the gap in the overall standings to 7:16 minutes with fifth place on the day Ideal prerequisites for the journey towards the Empty Quarter: good starting position for stage seven Route from Ha'il to Dawadimi with two...
Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk go into the second “Dakar” week in second place overall
Clever management after the previous day's stage win: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk fifth on the last stage before the rest day Second position in the overall standings secured: Saudi Arabian-Brandenburg duo cushions the disadvantage of the route opening Stage...
Yazeed and the speed: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk new “Dakar” runners-up with stage win
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take advantage of the late start and reduce the gap at the Dakar Rally to around seven minutes Stage from Al-Henakiyah to al-'Ula forms the first part of a so-called marathon stage Be careful, but at speed: stony ground requires...
Shorter, but crisp: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk remain in the leading group at the Dakar Rally
Fifth day of the rally, third stage: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk lose time in the Dakar Rally due to tricky navigation and stony surfaces Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk remain within striking distance of the overall leaders in fourth place, gap widens to 11:45 minutes...
Two in a hurry – Queen’s stage of the “Dakar” clearly goes to Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk
Stage victory on Epiphany: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk win 48-hour stage of the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabian-Brandenburg duo take second place in the overall standings Extreme driving and navigational challenges on 967-kilometer special stage Bisha, Saudi Arabia...
Spiritual “Dakar” lead for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk after part one of the 48-hour stage
Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk deliver a strong performance from 19th on the queen stage of the first "Dakar" week Saudi-Arabian-Brandenburg duo complete the first 618 of 967 test kilometers on two-part endurance test Second part of the 48-hour stage follows Monday on Epiphany...
First day, but a used one – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk lose time before extreme stage at the “Dakar”
413-kilometer loop around Bisha with challenges for drivers and co-drivers is the true prelude to the 2025 Dakar Rally Pace stage before the big hammer: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk skillfully dose the "Dakar" urge, but also lose time with numerous technical...
Dakar Rally (20+25)² – Prologue of the mathematicians, Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk in 18th position
Solid start to the Dakar Rally: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk finished the first showdown of the desert classic in 18th position.
- Start of the trilogy in the dunes: section from Hofuf to Shubaytah gives a foretaste of the “Empty Quarter”
- Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk secure fourth place on the day and the lead, nine minutes ahead of their closest rivals
- Queen’s stage in two acts: “48-hour test” in the Empty Quarter on Thursday and Friday
Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia (January 10, 2024) – Part one of the dune triad: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk consolidated their lead in the overall standings of the Dakar Rally with fourth place on day five. The “Empty Quarter” already sent its regards on this short special stage: for the first time, the race against the clock was exclusively on dunes – with constant ups and downs, not always easy to drive. A harbinger for the next two days. The Saudi-Arabian-Brandenburg duo will start the queens stage with a lead of nine minutes and three seconds, which is split into a tough marathon stage on Thursday and Friday – including a night away from information and without service by the mechanics. To avoid having to open the route on the following days, some participants decided to slow down or take time penalties. Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk were giving 100 percent instead.
Sand. Dunes. In all colors, shapes and flavors, the grainy surface formed the character of a section that is only 118 kilometers “short” on paper. Soft dunes with chots made up the core of the special stage. Towards the end, the sand became firmer and therefore easier to ride on – but broken dunes were one of the challenges instead.
QUOTES
“A very nice dune stage to drive. And a great foretaste of the next two days in the ‘Empty Quarter’. We can be pleased – we have a good starting position for the marathon stage and are leading the Dakar Rally.”
YAZEED AL-RAJHI
“A great foretaste of the marathon stage with the 48-hour stage on Thursday and Friday. The dunes weren’t always easy to drive, Yazeed did a great job. We don’t have to open the stage tomorrow, which is good. The next two days will be tough, we are ready.”
TIMO GOTTSCHALK
AND THEN THERE WAS …
… transmission break. This is because on Thursday and Friday, for the first time, a tougher version of a marathon stage will be held, where the participants will be spread over several bivouacs overnight – shielded from the outside world. For this reason, the next news will be issued on Friday – with all the usual information about the two-day special stage.