Dakar Rally has concluded after 14 gruelling days and nearly 8,000km. Toyota privateer Yazeeh Al-Rajhi emerged as a surprise winner in the cars class, becoming the very first Saudi Arabian driver to win the Dakar Rally,

Local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi secured his first Dakar title on Friday, finishing the 12-stage rally almost four minutes ahead of his closest competitor Henk Lategan, while Red Bull KTM's Daniel Sanders maintained his lead to win in the motorcycle category.

The bike race witnessed a return to the top step of the podium for KTM, which enjoyed its 20th triumph on the race thanks to the unshakable Daniel Sanders who became the second Australian winner on the Dakar after having dominated the race from start to finish, as Marc Coma did in 2009.

KTM’s Luciano Benavides finished the stage in seventh, followed by Hero’s lone rider, Nacho Cornejo. In the overall standings after stage 7 of the 2025 Dakar Rally, Sanders leads, followed by three Hondas — Schareina, Van Beveren, and defending champion Ricky Brabec.

Daniel Sanders took his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine to the win in the seventh stage and extended his overall lead in the 2025 Dakar rally. Americans Ricky Brabec and Skyler Howes were ninth and tenth on their Monster Energy Hondas.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi has become the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally after completing the race on home sand in Shubaytah.

Saudi Arabia's Yazeed al-Rajhi made history by becoming the first Saudi driver to win the Dakar Rally. Read More: Al Nassr to Announce a New Contract for Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Rajhi beat South Africa's Henk Lategan in a Toyota by 3m 57s,