Dakar 2025 – Stage 3: Saood Variawa makes history, Sébastien Loeb forced to withdraw

After only three stages, the 2025 edition of the Dakar has already lost two of its main favorites. After Carlos Sainz yesterday, it’s Sébastien Loeb who has to drop out and will not see the finish line in Shubaytah. Despite his return to the bivouac after the 48-hour time trial, the FIA forced the Spanish driver to abandon due to the damaged roll cage on his Ford Raptor.

Same punishment therefore for Sébastien Loeb. The nine-time world rally champion made a mistake as early as the 12th kilometer of the stage that led competitors from Bisha to Al Henakiyah today. In a sandy section with multiple traps, the Dacia Sandrider number 219 rolled over. Fortunately, Loeb and his co-driver emerged unscathed and were even able to reach the finish line with more than an hour behind the day’s winner.

Unfortunately, as with Sainz, the roll bar of the Romanian car was too damaged to get the green light from race management and continue. Another disappointment for Loeb, who will not win this year’s event, which, decidedly, is taking its time to favor him.

Smile that Saood Variawa and his French co-driver François Cazalet might have. Aboard his Toyota Hilux, the South African became, at just 19 years old, the youngest winner of a stage in the world’s biggest rally-raid. Second, Guerlain Chicherit regains momentum after a challenging start to the event.

In the overall standings, Henk Lategan is still leading the race, but it’s now Nasser Al-Attiyah who holds the runner-up position, just under seven minutes behind. They are followed by Mattias Ekström, Yazeed Al Rajhi, and Lucas Moraes.

Stage 3 Ranking

General classification