Dakar 2023 – Stage 7: Al Rajhi secures his first victory, no changes in the overall standings

On the day following the troubles encountered by Stéphane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz’s Audi vehicles, the stage saw the overall leader, Nasser Al-Attiyah, being cautious in order to reach the Al Duwadimi bivouac for this first part of the marathon stage. This part, originally not planned but added to the itinerary by the organizers due to weather-related route modifications, drastically reduces the time dedicated to assistance at the end of the special.

Another big loser from the previous stage, Yazeed Al Rajhi acted like a boss today. With a lead of nearly nine minutes on his closest pursuer, the local driver deservedly claimed victory behind the wheel of his Toyota Hilux. Behind him, the big names showcased their skills by finishing wheel-to-wheel in the final kilometers of the special stage. Chicherit, Lategan, Loeb, and Al-Attiyah were gardening together to find their direction before engaging in a fierce battle on the track. This scene is a welcome sight at a time when the suspense for the overall standings is currently almost non-existent.

Although already far behind in the overall standings, Matthias Ekström represented Audi’s last hopes of performing well in this event. Unfortunately, the nightmare continued for the brand with the four rings. Leading in the early stages of the day, the Swedish driver encountered major mechanical issues, resulting in a significant time delay at the finish. This situation particularly allows Loeb to enter the Top 5 in the overall standings. A Dakar rally to quickly forget for the German brand.

Stage 7 Ranking

General ranking