South Africa’s Henk Lategan leads Yazeed Al-Rajhi by 2 1/2 minutes going into the 11th and penultimate stage in the Empty Quarter dunes. The last stage is a ceremonial drive to the finish in Shubaytah.

Henk Lategan’s lead of the Dakar Rally melted to 21 seconds after a chaotic seventh stage for timings in the Saudi desert on Sunday.

Henk Lategan's overall Dakar Rally lead was cut to seven minutes and 16 seconds as Yazeed Al-Rajhi closed the gap to the South African despite issues with his car, while Mini's Guillaume de Mevius and Joao Ferreira were the first two to finish stage six in Saudi Arabia.

Local driver Yazeed Al Rajhi has taken advantage of a miserable stage by Henk Lategan to grab the Dakar Rally lead in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Local driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi closed to within a minute of leader Henk Lategan in the cars category for the 2025 Dakar Rally. Here's all the highlights from what was a huge day in the Dakar in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi is in the overall lead for the first time at this year's Dakar Rally after finishing third in stage nine on Tuesday, taking over from Henk Lategan who suffered two punctures.

A brilliant five-hour drive to the Saudi Arabia capital earned Dakar Rally leader Henk Lategan the stage win and breathing room on Monday. While every other driver grizzled about how tough navigating the 488-kilometer eighth stage from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh was,