Toyota's Henk Lategan secured victory in the 2025 Dakar Rally's Prologue stage, completing the 29km/18-mile course around Bisha, Saudi Arabia. The Toyota Hilux driver edged out Mattias Ekstrom's Ford Raptor T1+ by just one second, with five-time champion Nasser Al-Attiyah placing third in his Dacia Sandrider.

In the Challenger class, American rookie Corbin Leaverton impressed with a win in his Taurus T3 Max, followed by Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team teammate Goncalo Guerreiro just four seconds behind. The SSV category saw another American debut victory, with Brock Heger taking first place in his Polaris.

Daniel Sanders dominated the bike category, being the only rider to complete the Prologue in under 17 minutes. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider finished 12 seconds ahead of Ross Branch, while rookie teammate Edgar Canet secured an impressive third place.

The Prologue times won't count toward the car category general rankings, offering relief to Guillaume de Mevius, who lost four minutes changing a punctured wheel. Notable contenders Sebastien Loeb, Lucas Moraes, and Nani Roma all secured top-10 positions, earning favorable starting positions for Stage 1.

Stage 1 begins tomorrow with a challenging 412km/256-mile loop around the Bisha Start Camp, featuring complex navigation challenges and demanding terrain. This marks the true beginning of the grueling 12-stage race through Saudi Arabia.

Off-Road

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