The 2025 Dakar Rally kicked off with the Prologue stage in Bisha, Saudi Arabia, featuring a 29km/18-mile timed section around the Start Camp.

Toyota's Henk Lategan dominated the Ultimate class in his Hilux, edging out Mattias Ekstrom's Ford Raptor T1+ by one second. Five-time champion Nasser Al-Attiyah secured third place in his Dacia Sandrider, finishing 20 seconds behind Lategan.

Notable contenders Sebastien Loeb, Lucas Moraes, and Nani Roma all secured top 10 positions, setting themselves up favorably for Stage 1. The Prologue times don't count toward the general rankings, fortunate for Guillaume de Mevius who lost four minutes to a puncture.

In the Challenger class, American rookie Corbin Leaverton claimed victory in his Taurus T3 Max, with fellow Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver Goncalo Guerreiro just four seconds behind. Another American rookie, Brock Heger, won the SSV category in his Polaris, leading Jeremías González Ferioli and defending champion Xavier de Soultrait.

Daniel Sanders of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing dominated the Bikes category, being the only rider to complete the course in under 17 minutes. His teammate Edgar Canet, a rookie, impressed with the third-fastest time, while Ross Branch claimed second place, 12 seconds behind Sanders.

The competition intensifies tomorrow with Stage 1, featuring a challenging 412km/256-mile loop around the Bisha Start Camp, complete with complex navigation challenges.

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