Carlos Sainz Clinches His Fourth Dakar Rally Victory in Saudi Arabia

At 61, Carlos Sainz has shown no signs of slowing down, as he glided to a stunning fourth Dakar Rally victory on the dunes of Saudi Arabia. The rally legend, father to the Ferrari Formula One driver under the same name, has stamped his authority in the motor-sport history books by clinching the title on Friday with an exceptional performance.

Sainz's triumph is remarkable not only for his age but also for the variety in his victories, having won previously with three different manufacturers. His latest success was achieved in an Audi RS Q e-tron, which is notable for being the first hybrid electric powertrain vehicle to seize the title in the Dakar's car category.

Throughout the 12-stage race that spanned two weeks, Sainz managed to maintain a solid lead, demonstrating consistency and experience. The Spaniard finished the grueling competition with an impressive one hour, 20 minutes, and 25 seconds advantage over Belgian competitor Guillaume de Mevius who drove for Overdrive Toyota. The French rally legend, Sebastien Loeb, was close on their heels and snatched up the third spot despite considerable mechanical setbacks that hindered his race.

Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion and considered Sainz’s fiercest competitor this year, claimed the final stage but it wasn't enough to undo the previous day's mechanical issues. On the other hand, Sainz cruised to victory without claiming any individual stage wins – a testament to his strategic acumen and the impressive technology underpinning the Audi RS Q e-tron.

This innovative vehicle is at the frontier of rally racing technology, equipped with a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo engine that serves as an energy converter to charge its high-voltage battery during the race. The triumph marks an enormous achievement for Audi, particularly as the company is poised to heavily invest in a Formula One project anticipated to rev up in the near future.

The Dakar Rally, which began in 1978 as a daring race from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, has evolved over the decades. Initially crossing the expanse of the Sahara, the race relocated to South America in 2009 due to security concerns and has been hosted by Saudi Arabia since 2020, now forming the premier event of the FIA world rally-raid championship.

In the motorcycle category, American Ricky Brabec captured the title for the second time riding a Monster Energy Honda CRF 450 Rally. He managed to edge out Ross Branch from Botswana, who put up a strong fight on his Hero 450 Rally.

As for the highest placing South African team, Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings made their mark by finishing in sixth place driving the Toyota Gazoo Hilux, with compatriots Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy trailing closely behind in seventh.

The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally has once again rewritten the annals of rally-raid history with its challenging terrain, strategic navigational demands, and the relentless pursuit of endurance and speed by racers from around the globe.