Stage 3 of the 2025 Dakar Rally saw the competitors leave Bisha and head northwest towards Al Henakiyah, tackling a challenging 327-kilometer special stage. While the day marked a historic moment for 19-year-old Saood Variawa, who became the youngest-ever stage winner in the Ultimate class, it dealt a severe blow to Sébastien Loeb’s hopes of securing his first Dakar title
Loeb’s Rollercoaster Dakar Continues
Sébastien Loeb’s quest for Dakar glory took another hit on Stage 3 when the Frenchman lost over an hour after rolling his Dacia Sandrider at high speed. Despite the car sustaining serious damage, Loeb was able to continue after receiving spare parts from teammate Cristina Gutiérrez.
“I hit a rut that turned us sideways, and the car rolled. There wasn’t so much damage, but after 50 kilometers, we broke a steering rod. Cristina stopped to give us one, but after that, the front engine fan stopped working,” explained the 50-year-old.
The setback leaves Loeb 1 hour and 14 minutes behind overall leader Henk Lategan, a deficit that could prove insurmountable for the nine-time World Rally Champion.
Variawa Makes History
South African teenager Saood Variawa etched his name into the Dakar record books, becoming the youngest-ever stage winner in the Ultimate class at just 19 years old. Variawa edged out Guerlain Chicherit by a mere 23 seconds to claim the historic victory.
Ekström Leads Ford Charge
With defending champion Carlos Sainz out of the rally, Mattias Ekström has emerged as the leading contender for Ford M-Sport. The Swede moved up to third overall, 9 minutes and 34 seconds behind leader Henk Lategan, with Nasser Al-Attiyah splitting the pair in second.
“For our part, we did our best to drive smart today. We’re happy with where we are,” said the 46-year-old Ekström.
Sanders Maintains Bike Lead
In the bike category, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders maintained his overall lead despite navigational issues costing him valuable time. The Australian’s electronic roadbook stopped working, forcing him to follow other riders and ultimately finish 17th on the stage.
“My tablet stopped working, so I couldn’t navigate. I was lost out there, and I picked the wrong person to follow. It’s unfortunate,” revealed Sanders.
Teammate Luciano Benavides capitalized on Sanders’ misfortune, closing the gap to the leader to under 18 minutes with an impressive fifth-place finish on Stage 3.
Challengers and SSVs
In the Challenger class, Dakar veteran Francisco “Chaleco” López claimed his first stage win of the rally, while Dania Akeel impressed with a second-place finish, just 26 seconds behind leader Nicolas Cavigliasso.
“It was a rocky, twisty stage with nice navigation to figure out. It was hard to gain time because it was so fast,” said Akeel, a former bike racer from Jeddah.
Xavier de Soultrait continues to lead the SSV category, with López’s stage win propelling him to fourth overall, 2 hours and 45 minutes adrift.
Marathon Stage Awaits
Stage 4 marks the first half of the grueling Marathon Stage, where competitors will have to fend for themselves overnight without the assistance of their mechanics. The challenging route will take the rally through the spectacular canyons of AlUla, testing the endurance and self-sufficiency of the Dakar’s brave men and women.
