Stage 4 of the 2025 Dakar Rally unfolded as a critical chapter in this year’s grueling competition.
Spanning 415 kilometers from Al-Henakiyah to Al Ula, the stage challenged competitors with its mix of rocky terrains, dunes, and complex navigation. As a marathon stage, no external assistance was permitted, making resilience and strategy paramount. With key developments in every category, Stage 4 reshaped the leaderboard as the race moves deeper into Saudi Arabia.
Cars (T1): Al-Rajhi Shines While Lategan Maintains the Lead
Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi delighted home fans with a spectacular drive to win Stage 4, navigating the unforgiving desert with precision. Al-Rajhi, piloting his Overdrive Racing Toyota, closed the gap to overall leader Henk Lategan, who retained his top spot thanks to another steady performance. South African Lategan, driving for Toyota Gazoo Racing, continues to hold a slim lead, emphasizing the tight competition in the Cars category.
Meanwhile, Mattias Ekström’s consistent performance for Ford M-Sport helped him secure third in the general classification, while Mathieu Serradori and Lucas Moraes completed the top five. Nasser Al-Attiyah, last year’s champion, endured mechanical issues that jeopardized his title defense.
Stage 4 Results – Cars (T1):
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yazeed Al-Rajhi | Overdrive Racing | 4h 26m 40s | — |
| 2 | Henk Lategan | Toyota Gazoo Racing | 4h 31m 31s | +4m 51s |
| 3 | Mathieu Serradori | Century Racing Factory | 4h 37m 25s | +10m 45s |
| 4 | Mattias Ekström | Ford M-Sport | 4h 38m 12s | +11m 32s |
| 5 | Lucas Moraes | Toyota Gazoo Racing | 4h 40m 11s | +13m 31s |
Overall Classification After Stage 4 – Cars (T1):
| Position | Driver | Team | Total Time | Gap |
| 1 | Henk Lategan | Toyota Gazoo Racing | 23h 36m 24s | — |
| 2 | Yazeed Al-Rajhi | Overdrive Racing | 23h 43m 18s | +6m 54s |
| 3 | Mattias Ekström | Ford M-Sport | 23h 58m 04s | +21m 40s |
| 4 | Mathieu Serradori | Century Racing Factory | 24h 06m 49s | +30m 25s |
| 5 | Lucas Moraes | Toyota Gazoo Racing | 24h 09m 49s | +33m 25s |
Bikes (Rally GP): Sanders Extends His Dominance
Australian rider Daniel Sanders delivered yet another masterclass, claiming his fourth consecutive stage win. Sanders, representing Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, completed the stage in 4 hours, 15 minutes, and 33 seconds. His relentless pace widened the gap to Spain’s Tosha Schareina of Monster Energy Honda HRC, who remains in second place overall. Schareina employed strategic brilliance, choosing to finish just behind Sanders to avoid opening the next stage.
Botswana’s Ross Branch retained his consistency with a third-place finish, while Skyler Howes and Ricky Brabec, both representing Monster Energy Honda HRC, completed the top five in the overall standings.
Stage 4 Results – Bikes (Rally GP):
| Position | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Daniel Sanders | Red Bull KTM Factory | 4h 15m 33s | — |
| 2 | Tosha Schareina | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 4h 28m 59s | +13m 26s |
| 3 | Ross Branch | Hero MotoSports Team | 4h 41m 43s | +26m 10s |
| 4 | Skyler Howes | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 4h 42m 34s | +27m 01s |
| 5 | Ricky Brabec | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 4h 44m 46s | +29m 13s |
Overall Classification After Stage 4 – Bikes (Rally GP):
| Position | Rider | Team | Total Time | Gap |
| 1 | Daniel Sanders | Red Bull KTM Factory | 25h 15m 33s | — |
| 2 | Tosha Schareina | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 25h 28m 59s | +13m 26s |
| 3 | Ross Branch | Hero MotoSports Team | 25h 41m 43s | +26m 10s |
| 4 | Skyler Howes | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 25h 42m 34s | +27m 01s |
| 5 | Ricky Brabec | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 25h 44m 46s | +29m 13s |
SSV: Heger Dominates as Lopez Contardo Struggles
Brock Heger of Sebastien Loeb Racing – RZR Factory Racing led the SSV category with a clean and commanding performance. Teammate Xavier de Soultrait trailed by over an hour but retained his second-place position overall.
Francisco Lopez Contardo faced mechanical challenges, slipping further down the leaderboard. Jerome de Sadeleer and Alexandre Pinto secured consistent finishes, maintaining competitive overall standings.
Overall Classification After Stage 4 – SSV:
| Position | Driver | Team | Total Time | Gap |
| 1 | Brock Heger | Sebastien Loeb Racing – RZR | 26h 25m 40s | — |
| 2 | Xavier de Soultrait | Sebastien Loeb Racing – RZR | 27h 47m 07s | +1h 21m 27s |
| 3 | Alexandre Pinto | Old Friends Rally Team | 27h 55m 35s | +1h 29m 55s |
| 4 | Francisco Lopez Contardo | Can-Am Factory Team | 28h 48m 27s | +2h 22m 47s |
| 5 | Jerome de Sadeleer | MMP | 29h 52m 53s | +3h 27m 13s |
Challengers: Cavigliasso Leads the Pack
In the Challengers (T3) category, Nicolas Cavigliasso maintained his strong form, securing the top spot after Stage 4. Driving for Team BBR, Cavigliasso widened his lead over Corbin Leaverton of the Red Bull Off-Road Jr Team. Goncalo Guerreiro secured third, with consistent finishes keeping him within striking distance of the leaders. Paul Spierings and Pau Navarro rounded out the top five.
Overall Classification After Stage 4 – Challengers (T3):
| Position | Driver | Team | Total Time | Gap |
| 1 | Nicolas Cavigliasso | Team BBR | 25h 32m 26s | — |
| 2 | Corbin Leaverton | Red Bull Off-Road Jr Team USA | 25h 57m 40s | +25m 14s |
| 3 | Goncalo Guerreiro | Red Bull Off-Road Jr Team USA | 26h 02m 01s | +29m 35s |
| 4 | Paul Spierings | Team Rebellion & Spierings | 26h 09m 19s | +36m 53s |
| 5 | Pau Navarro | Team BBR | 26h 49m 37s | +1h 17m 11s |
Trucks: Macik Pulls Ahead in a Close Race
The Trucks category saw Martin Macik of MM Technology seize control with a remarkable performance. Driving consistently and avoiding mechanical issues, Macik retained the lead, ahead of Ales Loprais from Instatrade Loprais Team. Vaidotas Zala secured third for Skuba Team De Rooy, showcasing excellent teamwork.
Mitchel van den Brink and Martin Soltys completed the top five, with both drivers demonstrating resilience in a category where every minute counts. The Trucks category remains fiercely competitive, with narrow margins separating the top contenders.
Overall Classification After Stage 4 – Trucks:
| Position | Driver | Team | Total Time | Gap |
| 1 | Martin Macik | MM Technology | 26h 08m 56s | — |
| 2 | Ales Loprais | Instatrade Loprais Team | 26h 54m 50s | +45m 54s |
| 3 | Vaidotas Zala | Skuba Team De Rooy | 27h 05m 13s | +56m 17s |
| 4 | Mitchel van den Brink | Eurol Rally Sport | 27h 25m 52s | +1h 16m 56s |
| 5 | Martin Soltys | Tatra Buggyra ZM Racing | 28h 58m 28s | +2h 49m 32s |
As Dakar 2025 progresses, the stakes grow higher, with each stage reshaping the race. Stage 5 promises even more challenges as competitors push towards the finish line.
