The 2025 Dakar Rally roared into life Friday with the high-speed Prologue stage, featuring 29km/18 miles against the clock around the Start Camp in Bisha, Saudi Arabia.
In the Ultimate class, Henk Lategan led the way in his Toyota Hilux (pictured above), heading the V8-powered Ford Raptor T1+ of Mattias Ekstrom by just one second. Five-time Dakar Rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah placed third with his Dacia Sandrider. “I grew up with V8s in the DTM, so I have a lot of experience with these engines,” said the pumped-up Swede. “I think the sound of a V8 beats everything.”
Al-Attiyah’s entry was the first car onto the Prologue Stage and the Qatari was quick to credit his co-driver Edouard Boulanger for finding the way to the finish line, 20 seconds back of the winner.
Other drivers with big Dakar ambitions, including Sebastien Loeb, Lucas Moraes, and Nani Roma, also placed inside the Prologue’s Top 10 and will now get themselves a favorable starting position for tomorrow’s Stage 1. The times on the Prologue do not count towards the car category general rankings, which is a relief for Guillaume de Mevius, who suffered a puncture and lost four minutes changing a wheel.
Challenger and SSV
American rookie Corbin Leaverton got off to a strong start to win the Prologue behind the wheel of his Taurus T3 Max.
“We wanted to come and start from the front so P1 today helps us to do that. I’m a little bit surprised by the result, but pleasantly surprised,” the Californian said. “It’s just one very small task in the scheme of a huge 12-stage race. But it’s good to know that we have the pace.”
Second place on the Prologue went to Leaverton’s fellow Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver Goncalo Guerreiro, with just four seconds separating the rookies. It’s an extremely strong opening statement from the latest batch of youngsters given their shot at the Dakar Rally by the Junior Team program.