Major contenders for victory in the 2025 Dakar Rally

The 2025 Dakar Rally promises to be one of the most exciting in recent history, with several manufacturers and drivers capable of winning the famous Touareg Trophy.

The rally-raid will begin with the prologue in Bisha on January 3 and conclude in Shubaitha on January 17 after 12 stages and more than 5,000 kilometers of racing in Saudi Arabia.

Here is a list of the drivers considered favorites for top honors in the Ultimate category:

After leading Audi to victory in his farewell competition at the Dakar, Carlos Sainz Sr. Now facing a new challenge with Ford and M-Sport.

The Spaniard may be 62 years old, but he is heading into the Dakar with the same enthusiasm as ever. If he wins in 2025, it will be his fifth win overall at the Dakar, although it will not be an easy feat as the Raptor is still in the early days of the competition and has not racked up mileage in an event of this scale.

Ford was able to put the car through its paces at the Rally Morocco, where Sainz came close to a stage win before being hit by technical problems. But compared to some other vehicles in the field, Ford’s new challenger is still a relatively unproven volume.

That said, Sainz should be considered a favorite for victory given his massive presence at Dakar. Having competed in the event a total of 17 times with a variety of manufacturers and scoring 42 stage wins and four overall wins, it would be foolish to rule him out of this year’s race.

Coming from the Middle East, Nasser Al-Attiyah There is always a serious risk in the Dakar Rally. With five wins overall in 20 appearances, as well as 11 podiums and 48 individual stage wins, he is now just shy of Stefan Peterhansel and Ari Vatanen’s record on four wheels.

Although the Dacia Sandrider is a new car, Al-Attiyah will be able to rely on the Prodrive experience gained in the development of the Hunter. In addition, the Renault Group ran a rigorous testing program to have everything ready for January. The hard work has already paid off with a win at Rally Morocco, making Dacia the manufacturer to beat in Saudi Arabia.

Sebastian Loeb

One of the greatest rally drivers of all time, Sébastien Loeb continues to chase a first victory in the Dakar. Having been on the starting line on eight occasions and achieved 28 stage wins and five overall podiums, he is still aiming for the big prize to add to his nine titles in the World Rally Championship.

Last year, a setback in the final stage prevented him from fighting for the overall victory with the Prodrive-built and Bahrain-sponsored Hunter. Known for his incredible single-stage speed, he will be hoping that everything goes right this time.

The Frenchman also played a leading role in the development of the Sandrider and came close to becoming the top performer within the Dacia team in Morocco.

Nani Roma Seeking his third overall win at the Dakar, having won on bikes in 2004 and winning in the cars category exactly a decade later.

The Spaniard wants to bring happiness to his entire family after the accident that happened to his son, who has been able to walk again with the help of an exoskeleton.

Roma will be a key part of Ford’s attack with M-Sport and his intelligence, which proved vital to his victory in Baja Hungary with the Raptor, will once again be on display.

Yazid Al-Razi There will be home advantage once again in Dakar in 2025. Having participated in the rally 10 times and even finished on the podium, he knows what it is like to lead a rally in tough conditions. He remained in the top position at the start of 2024, until a crash forced him out of the rally.

Al-Razi can be very fast at times and remains active in cross-country competition throughout the year, having battled for the 2024 World Rally Raid title until the final stages of the season.

With a legendary Toyota Hilux T1+ powered by Overdrive Racing, they have the machinery to rub it out with the big boys. But only time will tell whether he has the patience to see it through to the end.

Lucas Moraes

The new generation is making its presence felt at the Dakar and Toyota youngster Lucas Moraes is considered one of the best of the newcomers.

Moraes surprised everyone by reaching the podium on his Dakar debut in 2023. He could only finish ninth last time due to a number of problems, but the experience he gained on the Hilux in 2024 makes him a real contender for victory in his third attempt.

In addition, he can count on Spanish co-pilot Armand Monleon, who helped him achieve third place in the W2RC this year.

mattias ekstrom

Although Mattias Ekström is better known for his circuit racing exploits, he is also extremely capable when it comes to desert rallying. A look at their exploits in Extreme E, Dakar and even the World Rallycross Championship shows that no matter what terrain they are driving on, they are a safe pair of hands.

Ekstrom played a key role in Sainz’s victory at Dakar last January, but for the driver synonymous with Audi, 2025 marks a new chapter in his career. The Swede has been recruited as part of Ford’s attack and, along with Sainz and Roma, he will be one of the drivers to beat with the new Raptor.

honorable mention

There are many other drivers who should not be discounted for victory, especially in an event like the Dakar which can be so unpredictable.

The most experienced name is the 2009 event winner giniel de villiersWith 21 participations and a factory Toyota under his belt, he has a strong chance to take a second career win.

Another Toyota driver capable of challenging for the top spot is Seth Quintero, who scored 12 stage wins in the Challenger category in 2022. Although the American faced a difficult time after stepping up to the main division in 2024, they have all the tools to fight for victory.

Rokas Basiewska, who is making his debut after being world champion in the two lower categories, is another driver to keep an eye on. He will also drive a Toyota Hilux, albeit entered by the privateer Overdrive team. Baciuszka will not have his usual co-driver Oriol Vidal, who chose to focus on professional cycling, but he will be able to rely on the former motorcyclist. oriole myna As his sailor.

During this time, toby price And Sam Sunderland Another overdrive-introduced Toyota Hilux is also switching from two wheels to four. Price will be in charge of driving, with Sunderland assisting him from the co-driver’s seat. Together, they have four wins in the Dakar bike category on their CV, all on KTM machinery.

This year’s T3 category winner Christina Gutierrez will be part of Dacia’s attack on the Dakar. Given his previous experience in rallying and off-road racing, he should not be exempted from this year’s event.

Another mystery horse could be Mitch Guthrie Jr., who is part of the Ford contingent that includes big-ticket drivers like Sainz, Ekstrom and Roma.

Guillaume de Mevius, whose second-place finish at the Dakar with Overdrive is often overlooked, could also surprise by joining Mini in 2025.