Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, January 15, 2025 – The competition in Stage 9 of the 2025 Saudi Dakar Rally continued today with high levels of intensity and exceptional performances. The rally, taking place in Saudi Arabia for the sixth consecutive year, is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and supervised by the Ministry of Sport. This year’s edition showcases the nation's growing commitment to motorsports and is proving to be a challenging and exciting spectacle for both drivers and fans alike.
The race for Stage 9 commenced in Riyadh, the capital city, and concluded at the Al-Haradh center in the Al-Ahsa Governorate, covering a total distance of 589 kilometers. Out of this, 357 kilometers were dedicated to the timed special stage, providing an opportunity for competitors to showcase their speed and strategy across the tough terrain.
In the car category, Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, representing the “Dacia Sand Riders” team, once again demonstrated his expertise, clocking the fastest time of the day at 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds. This outstanding performance secured him first place for the stage, although the margin was narrow. Swedish driver Matthias Ekström of the “Ford Motorsport” team finished second, trailing by 2 minutes and 47 seconds. Saudi driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi, representing the “Overdrive” team, came in third, just 3 minutes and 12 seconds behind Al-Attiyah.
In a dramatic turn of events, Al-Rajhi, who had been consistently closing the gap, overtook Al-Attiyah to take the overall lead in the car category standings. He now holds a commanding 7-minute and 9-second lead over South African driver Henk Lategan of the “Toyota Gazoo” team, who currently sits in second place. Ekström, despite his solid performance, finds himself trailing the leader by a significant 24 minutes and 50 seconds, leaving him with a challenging road ahead in the final stages of the rally.
In the motorcycle category, Argentine rider Luciano Benavides of the “Red Bull KTM Factory Racing” team claimed victory in Stage 9, clocking a time of 3 hours, 15 minutes, and 38 seconds. His performance today further solidified his position as a contender for the overall title. Benavides was followed closely by French rider Adrien Van Beveren of the “Monster Energy Honda HRC” team, who finished in second place, 1 minute and 54 seconds behind the leader. Australian Daniel Sanders, also from the “Red Bull KTM Factory Racing” team, secured third place, trailing Benavides by 3 minutes and 4 seconds.
The competition in the Light Prototype (Challenger) vehicles category saw a dominant performance from Argentine driver David Zille of the “Dakarback Rally Sport” team, who completed the stage in 3 hours, 26 minutes, and 50 seconds. Zille’s time placed him ahead of Qatari driver Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari of the “Nasser Racing” team, who finished in second place. Al-Kuwari’s teammate, Khalifa Al-Attiyah, also from Qatar, finished in third place, just 2 minutes and 1 second behind Zille, reflecting the fierce competition in this category.
In the Light Prototype (SS V) vehicles category, Chilean driver Francisco Lopez Contardo of the “Can-Am Factory” team took top honors, completing the stage in 3 hours, 38 minutes, and 10 seconds. American Brock Heger of the “Sebastien Loeb Racing” team finished second, trailing by 1 minute and 11 seconds. Argentine driver Jeremías González Ferioli, also representing the “Can-Am Factory” team, claimed third place, finishing 2 minutes and 14 seconds behind Lopez Contardo.
In the truck category, Czech driver Aleš Loprais of the “Insta Trade Loprais” team showed his skill and precision, completing the stage in 3 hours, 20 minutes, and 51 seconds, earning him first place. Dutch driver Mitchell Van Den Brink of the “Eurol Rally Sport” team finished second, just 1 minute and 29 seconds behind Loprais. Lithuanian driver Vaidas Žala of the “Skoda De Roy” team secured third place, trailing the leader by 5 minutes and 42 seconds.
With Stage 9 now behind them, competitors will look ahead to Stage 10, scheduled for Wednesday, which will cover a total distance of 640 kilometers, including 120 kilometers of timed special stages. As the race heads into its final stages, the pressure is mounting, and every second will count as drivers and riders fight for victory in the 2025 Saudi Dakar Rally.