• Dakar Rally 2025 (January 03-17): Toyota armada against Dacia and Ford semi-works power
• After last year’s retirement while leading: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk still have a score to settle with the toughest desert rally
• From west to north to southeast: a particularly challenging route through Saudi Arabia ends in the world’s most hostile desert

Rheinsberg, Germany (30 December 2024) – There is still a score to settle with the Dakar Rally: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk are once again among the secret favorites for the 2025 edition of the desert classic. For the second time in a row, they will compete as runners-up in the two-week endurance test in Saudi Arabia, relying on tried-and-tested equipment. Once again, the Overdrive team will be using the Toyota Hilux pick-up, identical in construction to those of the Toyota semi-works team from South Africa. The toughest rally in the world begins on Friday, January 3, 2025 with the prologue around Bisha and ends 14 days later on January 17 in Shubaytah at the gates of the “Empty Quarters” – the most hostile desert in the world.

The rational goal: a place on the podium

Much adversity, much honor – the list of podium contenders at the 2025 Dakar Rally is long, but Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk have set their sights on being among the top three. The competition factor is high: in addition to the FIA Cross Country Rally World Champions Nasser Al-Attiyah/Edouard Boulanger (QAT/FRA), the Dacia works team will be joined by nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Fabian Lurquin (FRA/BEL). Ford is fielding two experienced crews in Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist (SWE/SWE) and Nani Roma/Alex Haro (ESP/ESP). The Toyota armada will be led by Lucas Moraes/Armand Monleon (BRA/ESP) and Seth Quintero/Dennis Zenz (USA/GER), among others.

The emotional goal: victory

Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk led the field for almost the entire first “Dakar” week in the last edition and clearly left their mark on the desert classic before an unfortunate rollover meant an early end. Despite fierce competition and the many uncertainties of the Dakar Rally itself, the Saudi Arabian-Brandenburg duo are dreaming of victory again in 2025. But this dream has to be worked hard for. Not least because the next one will always be the toughest “Dakar” and the organizers of the A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation) have once again increased the difficulty of the route.

The marathon within the marathon – the first “Dakar” week

The Dakar Rally requires constant adaptation to changing surfaces in the first week of the classic, especially due to the many rocky and stony sections. Again and again, a labyrinth of hidden paths demands the skills and full concentration of the navigators. The participants’ stamina is required twice.

The icing on the marathon cake is the 48-hour chrono format on the second and third day. Introduced in 2024, it requires not only endurance but also speed over almost 1,000 test kilometers over two days. The participants take a break from 5 p.m. at one of the six bivouacs, where they camp under the stars, cut off from the outside world. They continue the stage in the morning. This stage north of Bisha offers varied terrain with around 100 kilometers of dunes per day. For the first time, motorcycles and cars will race on separate tracks – an additional challenge for the co-drivers.

The route then continues northwards with fast sections that may not be decisive for victory, but where mistakes can be mercilessly punished. The marathon stage is another major challenge with volcanic landscapes and technical passages in the al-‘Ula canyons. Service vehicles are prohibited in the finish bivouac. Only the participants are allowed to help each other.

The desert in the classic: the second “Dakar” week

The second week of the Dakar 2025 features longer stages, starting with a section full of contrasts: a fast first part and a second, sandy section with dunes and tricky passages. From this week onwards, separate routes for cars and motorcycles will dominate. A decisive loop around Dawadimi combines complex navigation, varied terrain and challenging downhill sections.

As the participants become increasingly exhausted, the rally becomes a test for body, mind and machine. The fast stage to Haradh offers the remaining teams the chance to act strategically and set the pace.

A short but treacherous section full of surprises awaits in the Empty Quarter, which requires riding skill and precision. Recklessness is punished mercilessly here. The highlight follows on the penultimate day: the “Empty Quarter Challenge” in the middle of dunes and chotts offers opportunities to make up time or give away the victory.

QUOTES

“Of course we want to win the Dakar Rally. Every driver and co-driver dreams of it. After the early end in the last edition, we are approaching the task with even more humility this time, but we are also aware of the strength of the competition and that you have to be wide awake from the start to be among the front runners. A place on the podium is the goal, but dreaming is still allowed …”

YAZEED AL-RAJHI

“The organizers have once again increased the difficulty of the Dakar Rally route. And that doesn’t just affect the drivers, but also the navigation. The road book is not always as precise as it needs to be. So we have to keep our wits about us at all times. But I think we are well prepared for the two toughest sporting weeks of the year.”

TIMO GOTTSCHALK