Dakar 2025 – Stage 9: Nasser Al-Attiyah gives Dacia its first Dakar victory

Nothing is decided yet in this Dakar. Whether for the final victory or for the podium, everything is still possible. Especially when oceans of sandy dunes separate the competitors from the finish line in Shubaytah. During this ninth stage, it was a desert veteran who best navigated the situation.

At the wheel of his Dacia Sandrider, Nasser Al-Attiyah provided the Romanian manufacturer with its first victory in the Dakar. A welcome win for the Qatari and his French co-driver Edouard Boulanger, who finished with just under three minutes ahead of the duo Guillaume de Mevius / Mathieu Baumel and just under five minutes ahead of Yazeed Al Rajhi / Timo Gottschalk.

The Saudi and his German co-driver are the other winners of this stage. Taking advantage of Henk Lategan’s troubles, who faced several punctures and complicated navigation, they are the new leaders of the rally. They are even seven minutes ahead of the official Toyota driver. On his home turf, Al Rajhi now positions himself as the favorite for the final victory.

Still in third place, Mattias Ekström can now feel Al-Attiyah’s breath on his neck. His spot on the podium is down to just 31 seconds. A little further back, the battle rages on for fifth place between American Mitchell Guthrie and Frenchman Mathieu Serradori.

The exploration of the Empty Quarter continues tomorrow with a short stage of 120 kilometers but composed entirely of sand. The gaps and the standings could thus be shaken up 48 hours before the finish.

Stage 9 Classification

Overall ranking