Sainz, Cristina Gutiérrez and Roma say goodbye to the Dakar after a cruel 48-hour time trial

The Madrid driver Carlos Sainz suffered torture in the second stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally, the 48-hour clock of almost 1,000 kilometers, after capsizing in the first part and losing more than an hour and a half with the winner before abandoning a cruel double A day that also saw the withdrawal of Cristina Gutiérrez from Burgos and Joan ‘Nani’ Roma from Barcelona.

‘El Matador”s chances of revalidating the title achieved in the last edition disappeared after a tragic 48-hour stage, with 967 kilometers of special in 48 hours starting and finishing in Bisha. In the first half, the man from Madrid suffered a spectacular accident in which his Ford Raptor overturned.

Thus, Sainz and Lucas Cruz started the second part of the tough stage this Monday with the most damaged car, without many pieces of the tire and without front glass for the last kilometers. A true torture and odyssey that turned the 48-hour stage into mere survival and no strategy. The man from Madrid finished the time trial 1:33.12 behind the winner, the local driver Yazeed Al Rajhi (Toyota), and was 1:28.11 behind the new leader, the South African Henk Lategan (Toyota).

However, hours later the organization confirmed the withdrawal of the four-time Dakar champion, who could not continue due to structural damage to the safety cage on the co-driver’s side. “Due to the damage suffered to the safety cage of vehicle 225 – Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz – during the accident in the first part of the 48-hour stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally, it has been decided to withdraw the vehicle in accordance with the regulations. of the FIA,” Ford reported.

The Saudi Al Rajhi, with a Toyota Hilux, won the second stage with an advantage of 4 minutes and 29 seconds over the Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia), now a big favorite for victory in what is considered the toughest race in the world. However, upon arrival, both received penalties of 2′ and 4’, respectively, for excessive speed, dropping the Qatari to third place in the stage, also finishing third overall, just over 11 minutes behind the South African leader. .

Among the favorites, Sébastien Loeb (Dacia) finished the second part of the 48-hour time trial in an exemplary way and knew how to minimize damage to stay alive in the test. Due to a problem with a fan, the Frenchman was half an hour late yesterday, but he managed to reduce his disadvantage to 13’42” over the winner, Yazeed Al Rajhi, and is now 18’56” behind Lategan in the general classification .

This 48-hour time period took its toll on the Spanish. Nani Roma (Ford) was also forced to retire due to a mechanical problem at kilometer 766, while Cristina Gutiérrez will not be able to finish this Dakar in time, since she had to be assisted by her truck also in the final part of the stage. which ended on the road. Without options to compete in the general classification, the woman from Burgos will be able to continue in the race, although only to add kilometers and experience.

In motorcycles, the Australian Daniel Sanders (KTM) won again and took a giant step in the general classification after the 48-hour time trial, now leading the American Skyler Howes (Honda) by 12’36”. The Botswanan Ross Branch ( Hero) is third, just four seconds behind Howes and eight ahead of his teammate, Spaniard Tosha Schareina.

The current Dakar champion, the American Ricky Brabec (Honda) completes the ‘top 5’, just over 15 minutes behind the leader. The Spanish Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) finished eleventh in the 48-hour stage and is now twelfth overall, one place behind the national rider Edgar Canet (KTM), who finished tenth in the time trial and is fighting to be in the top 10. ‘.