Kilometer 13 on the final day brings the end: Technical problem costs valuable points and the lead in the FIA Cross Country Rally World Championship (W2RC) Almost "zero" instead of fourth place in the unloved Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Looking ahead: three more World...
Two in a hurry – 35 overtaking maneuvers and eighth place for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk at the start of the “Dakar”
Further contributions
Into the top ten – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk with a solid performance during the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
Eighth place with the prospect of a top five finish: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk cleverly manage the unpopular Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge ahead of the final two stages Focus on points instead of risk: "Dakar" winner with solid pace Lots of dunes with a tricky...
Surfin’ UAE – Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk start the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as world championship leaders
With a "Dakar" recipe for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: calculated risk at the second round of the FIA World Cross-Country Rally Championship (W2RC) "Dakar" winners Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk meet concentrated W2RC competition Terrain with the known and the unknown: dunes,...
Thumbs up, again: “Dakar” winners Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk start the FIA Baja World Cup with victory
Local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk win the opening round of the FIA Marathon Baja World Cup in commanding style Just two weeks after winning the Dakar Rally, the Saudi Arabian-Brandenburg duo are taking the momentum with them to the Saudi Baja Ha'il...
Stop the press! Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk win the 2025 Dakar Rally
After 4,906 test kilometers and 14 days: Home victory for Yazeed Al-Rajhi in Saudi Arabia Timo Gottschalk celebrates second "Dakar" triumph after 2011 Toughest "Dakar" ever pushes drivers, co-drivers and equipment to their limits Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia (January 17,...
Down to the wire – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk go into the final day of the “Dakar” as leaders
The final sprint decides: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take a lead of 6:11 minutes into the final 61 kilometers of the Dakar Rally Dune duel: Stages in the Empty Quarter make for a worthy finale in the Lategan/Cummings versus Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk fight 276...
Full throttle in the Empty Quarter: duel for the “Dakar” victory goes down to the wire
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk lose their narrow "Dakar" lead on the first stage in the Rub al-Chali Before the decisive final two stages: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk 2:27 minutes behind Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings Good starting position for both duos on the long desert...
“Dakar”, fast forward – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk take overall lead
From +5:41 to -7:09 minutes: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take the lead in the Dakar Rally Third place on the day: courage and willpower are rewarded on the challenging stage to Haradh Particularly fast special stage over 357 kilometers with an extra challenge...
Stable in the pursuit: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk consolidate “Dakar” rank two
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...
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...
- True “Dakar” start on Epiphany: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk convert 59th starting position into eighth place on the day with a strong performance
- Stage from al-‘Ula to Al Henakiyah leads through canyons, wadis and rocky terrain
- Lots of dust hinders progress on tricky first stage – many co-favorites lose ground
Al Henakiyah, Saudi Arabia (January 6, 2024) – When reality doesn’t match the 100 percent carefully devised plan: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk made the most of a tricky opening stage at the Dakar Rally, finishing eighth on the day. This meant that the strategy of starting as far back as possible only worked to a limited extent – but nevertheless ensured a good starting position for the coming days. The Saudi-Arabian-Brandenburg duo started the race in 59th place, leaving 35 competitors behind them on the course and setting the eighth-best time. Dust hindered progress, especially on the first part of the first “Dakar” special stage. Nevertheless, the current runners-up in the FIA Cross-Country World Rally Championship (W2RC) left many of the other favorites for podium finishes in their wake. The day’s victory surprisingly went to Guillaume de Mevius/Xavier Panseri (BEL/FRA, Toyota).
The route on the first leg of the Dakar Rally led from al-‘Ula to Al Henakiyah. The start of the stage was reminiscent of the previous day’s prologue and led between rocks and through canyons. The terrain then opened up, alternating between wadis and open terrain. Many changes of direction required wide-awake navigators. Around 130 kilometers led over rough, rocky and twisted terrain over the volcanic rock typical of the region.
QUOTES
“We are quite happy with the start and I think we made the most of our starting position. It helped – with a clear line in the rough terrain, for example – but also cost us time due to the many overtaking maneuvers in the dust.”
YAZEED AL-RAJHI
“An extremely long, extremely tough stage at the start of the Dakar Rally. Unfortunately, we had two punctures early on and had to drive as if on raw eggs for a long time to avoid risking another one – but we were helped, as planned, by the fact that many vehicles created a clear line in front of us.”
TIMO GOTTSCHALK
AND THEN THERE WAS …
… the power of deceleration. At 131 bar, Yazeed Al-Rajhi built up the highest brake pressure in the prologue of the 2024 Dakar Rally. For comparison: This corresponds to the pressure that prevails at a depth of 1,300 meters – and very few submarines can withstand this.