The 2025 Dakar Rally kicked off in Saudi Arabia with a remarkable display of skill and strategy, as Guerlain Chicherit of X-raid Mini clinched a surprising victory in the opening stage. The initial test, a grueling 499km journey around Bisha, showcased Chicherit’s relentless pace, which was evident from the very start as he built an early lead exceeding one minute in his Mini JCW Rally 3.0i. This unexpected success came despite fierce competition from the powerhouse Toyota team, whose drivers were determined to dominate from the outset.
Chicherit’s proficiency behind the wheel became a critical factor during the beginning stretches of the race. He established a considerable margin, but as the stage unfolded, the dynamics began to shift rapidly. The top drivers from Toyota’s factory squad and the Overdrive team were closely pursuing Chicherit, demonstrating the high stakes of this elite rallying competition.
By the time competitors reached the 151km mark, the race had dramatically changed. Both Lucas Moraes and Saood Variava, piloting their Toyota Hilux T1+s, had overtaken Chicherit, leaving him to navigate the challenging terrain while adjusting his strategy. Each checkpoint brought new challenges and opportunities, and soon Guy Botterill entered the mix, further crowding Chicherit’s rearview mirror. Despite these trials, the Mini driver made a tactical comeback as the stage progressed, proving his resilience and competitive edge.
Chicherit began to trade positions with Moraes, who was establishing himself as one of Toyota’s prominent challengers. By the final section of the stage, Chicherit’s determination was palpable; although he initially trailed Moraes by 18 seconds, he quickly closed the gap as the excitement intensified. His victory marked not only a personal achievement, being his eighth career stage win at Dakar, but also hailed as a significant milestone for Mini—its first stage win since 2021.
Moraes’ decision to pause strategically has drawn attention amongst spectators and competitors alike. By halting his vehicle for several minutes, he aimed to secure a better starting position for the upcoming 48-hour chrono stage, which would span across Sunday and Monday. This tactical maneuver saw him relinquishing his lead and slipping to eighth place, but it subsequently opened a window for his teammate Seth Quintero, who moved into second place, trailing Chicherit by a mere 50 seconds.
The reshuffling of positions added to the intrigue of the rally. Variava concluded the stage in a commendable third position, while Martin Prokop, racing with a privateer Jipocar Ford, climbed to fourth. Cristina Gutierrez, the standout performer for Dacia Sandriders, finished strongly in fifth, followed by Mini driver Joao Ferreira in sixth. Meanwhile, veteran Carlos Sainz made moves within the ranks, methodically advancing from a slower start to finish seventh, proving once again why he is a four-time Dakar winner.
The stage witnessed an unexpected twist for several prominent drivers, such as Ford racers Mattias Ekstrom and Nani Roma, who found themselves out of favorable positioning, finishing in sixteenth and eighteenth places, respectively. Additionally, Dakar stalwarts Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sebastien Loeb faced their own challenges; they deliberately stalled in the final stretch of the race. This decision saw them classified in the twentieth and twenty-fourth positions, underlining the strategical fragility even for the most seasoned veterans.
As the dust settles on the first stage, the upcoming marathon stage of 947km, set to span two days without external assistance, promises to further test the resolve and skill of the competitors. The unpredictability of the Dakar Rally is one of its defining characteristics, and with Chicherit’s unexpected victory, the stage is set for an intriguing continuation of the race.