2025 Dakar Rally Stage 1: Daniel Sanders leads the bikes; Seth Quintero grabs top spot in the cars category
Here are the overall standings in each category after the first stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally;
The first stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia kicked off today, with Daniel Sanders leading the pack in the bikes category and Seth Quintero bagging the top spot when it comes to the cars category. Competition continues to be fierce, and here’s a quick update on the standings in the cars, bikes and trucks categories after Stage 1 of the rally.
2025 Dakar Rally bikes
Daniel Sanders from the Red Bull KTM Factory team won the top spot in the bikes category, with Ricky Brabec from the Monster Energy Honda team finishing in second place at the end of Stage 1. The podium was completed by Ross Branch from Hero MotoSports, who finished the stage in third place.
2025 Dakar Rally cars
Seth Quintero from Toyota Gazoo Racing finished in first position by the end of Stage 1, finishing a little under a minute ahead of Guerlain Chicherit from the X-Raid Mini JCW team who came in second place. Toyota Gazoo Racing bagged two spots on the podium, with Saood Variawa finishing in third position for the team by the end of the stage.
2025 Dakar Rally trucks
The Eurol Rally Sport trio of Mitchel Van Den Brink, Jarno Van De Pol and Moises Torrallardona won the trucks category in Stage 1, after a dominating performance in the Prologue. Ales Loprais, Darek Rodewald and David Kripal from InstaTrade Loprais Team De Rooy FPT finished in second place in the trucks category at the end of Stage 1, while the MM Technology team with Martin Macik, Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda came in third place in the category by the end of Stage 1.
Tomorrow, the competitors will embark on the 48-hour Chrono stage, introduced for the first time, which means that when the clock strikes five, the riders will be required to stop at the nearest of six designated rest areas, where they will be completely isolated from the outside world. With no team assistance or external support, competitors will rely solely on their own resources, preparing their own meals and setting up camp under the desert stars. The following morning, the route will take them north of Bisha, and the Chrono stage will need competitors to complete 1000km of unforgiving desert terrain in just 48 hours. It will be interesting to see how the Chrono stage shakes up the standings, and you can stay tuned to this space or our Instagram for more updates on the 2025 Dakar Rally.