“This year, the Dakar can be won by a young man”said the director of the hardest race in the world, David Castera, in a relaxed chat with Mundo Deportivo. The veteran giants of the lagi, the Nasser Al-Attiyah, Carlos Sainz, Stéphane Peterhansel and Sébastien Loeb They will be among the favorites again. But this time, for the first time in many years, there is a sense that a generational change is also taking place in the contention for the top positions. The youths came on foot.
Al-Attiyah and Loeb, teammates
The great favorite, because he got it with his two consecutive victories, achieved in an undisputed way in the last two editions, is Nasser Al-Attiyah. The Qatari driver has won three of the last five Dakar (2019, 2022 and 2023) with it Toyota Hiluxachievements added to those achieved at Volkswagen in 2011 and Mini in 2015. And now, after his successful career at Toyota, he surprised everyone by leaving the South African structure of the Japanese brand and joining prodrive. In 2025 it will be in the DACIA project along with Sebastien Loeb. Before, he will go for his 6th Dakar win with BRX team at the wheel of a Hunter, also included Sebastien Loeb.
In this way, the question is whether Nasser Al-Attiyah will be able to continue to dominate with greater efficiency as in previous years in any car other than this one toyota, which he knows like the back of his hand. The other unknown is to see what the relationship is between Nasser and the french Loeb. Two roosters in the same coop in search of the ultimate victory.
Loeb It now has 7 editions of Dakar, but for one reason or another, bad luck always ends up on his side and prevents him from succeeding. He won 9 times World Rally Championship (WRC) with great superiority, but the Dakar gets too much for them. He will try again at 49 years old.
Sainz, Peterhansel and Ekström, three Audi musketeers
Audi He will try again in another year. Most likely, this will be the last edition of the project of the company of four rings in Dakar for his desire to focus on his landing in F1 for 2026. So, the Carlos Sainz, Stéphane Peterhansel and Mattias Ekström They will once again do everything to pursue the goal of becoming the first winner of the Dakar with an electric car.
He Audi RS Q e-Tron E2 weight 100 kilos more than its BRX and Toyota rivals, but the FIA decided to allow it to have 15kW (20 HP) more power compared to its main rivals, something that balances things out more compared to its rivals. The Audi is a very fast car and Sainz is expected to be able to fight it all. But the complex and innovative technology of the car means that there is always the doubt that a reliability problem can occur in a car with thousands of sensors.
Youth and replacements at Toyota
That Toyota Gazoo Racing doesn’t have its great leader Nasser Al-Attiyah doesn’t mean it doesn’t have options to contend with. Nasser’s farewell to Toyota means local Yazeed Al-Rajhi will have to win, although to do this you have to learn to slow down when necessary and drive with your head instead of just driving with your right foot. Two years ago, he was 3rd and in his 10th Dakar he wants to go all out after winning the last Morocco Rally, where he finished 2nd in the FIA W2RC World Championship.
Within the official Toyota team there are two important developments that should be key figures. Let’s start with Brazilian Lucas Moraesto be accompanied by a Catalan navigator Armand Monleon. The Brazilian was the big surprise of the 2023 Dakar by finishing 3rd and now, with the official Toyota team, he wants to aspire to everything. And much is expected of the young pearl of Red Bull, Seth Quintero.
The 21-year-old American showed tremendous speed in T3 as a protégé of red bull with up to 20 wins in 3 editions of the Dakar and a record of 12 victories in the 2022 edition. But for one reason or another, he never won a bronze touareg. In Dakar it’s not all about speed. A lot is expected of Seth in this first Dakar with a T1+ in the champion team and he could be the leader, but to do that he needs to reduce his ferocity and drive with more intelligence. So far this season comes after becoming world champion in W2RC in T3.
The veteran Giniel de Villiers He will look for good results in certain stages and get into the Top-5 with Toyota. And in the Asian firm there will also be other very fast drivers such as Guerlain Chicherit.
Nani Roma, first year at Ford
Nani Rome It should always be among the favorites in everything Dakar. At least, in the fight for the podium. However, the pilot of Folgueroles it made it very clear that this year the only goal is to gain experience in the first course of the ambitious project of Ford M-Sport for the team to learn everything necessary about the world’s toughest race and this discipline to prepare a new car for the year 2025.
Nani Roma achieved an unexpected Top-3 in the Morocco Rally but wanted to clarify that In the beginning that was not your goal in this Dakar. The strong point of the Ford Ranger T1+ is its toughness. Nani Roma wants a very good car for this first year to add kilometers and for the team to learn from the discipline and all the car needs in this race to create a completely new and more ambitious car for Dakar 2025.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
