Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally.

Seth Quintero, the US off-road racing driver representing Toyota Gazoo Racing, was declared the winner of the 2025 Dakar Rally Stage 1 on Saturday. I

French Mini driver Guerlain Chicherit was fastest in the 413km first stage around the southwestern town of Bisha, but Toyota’s Quintero, who finished 50 seconds behind, was promoted hours later after he was credited 95 seconds to make up for time lost when he stopped to assist Spaniard Laia Sanz, who had crashed.

American Toyota driver Seth Quintero won the first stage of the Dakar Rally on Saturday, the race favourites having eased up so as not to land an unfavourable position for the upcoming 48-hour chrono.

American driver Seth Quintero was promoted to first place on the opening stage of the Dakar Rally after helping a crashed rival on Saturday. Quintero's Toyota actually crossed second behind the Mini of Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit after the 413-kilometer special in the desert around Bisha in Saudi Arabia's south west.

American Toyota driver Seth Quintero won the first stage of the Dakar Rally on Saturday, the race favourites having eased up so as not to land an

Race officials credit Quintero with 95 seconds as he briefly stopped to help Laia Sanz after her crash - Anadolu Ajansı