The fourth Dakar special traversed the distance from Al Salamiya to Al-Hofuf, a route that continued to test the skill and stamina of the competitors. Local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi, racing for Toyota, further solidified his position near the top of the standings as the day progressed. He crossed the stage line in second place, narrowly behind Sébastien Loeb who took the stage victory. Despite the near miss, Al-Rajhi widened his lead in the general classification, a testament to his consistency and speed over tough desert terrain. Carlos Sainz secured a solid finish in third place, starting the day 29 seconds behind Al-Rajhi and finishing at a comfortable distance though still 4 minutes and 19 seconds off the overall leader. He maintained his grip on second place, while Nasser Al-Attiyah hovered in third, finishing the day 11 minutes and 3 seconds behind the leader.
In a tight competition, Al-Rajhi had declared himself the stage winner in the final stretch, but a late misstep by Loeb altered the outcome by a minute and 24 seconds on the last leg of the Dakar. Sainz and his co-driver Lucas Cruz managed to complete the stage in fourth, lagging the winner by almost five minutes (4:58). The Spanish duo began with strong momentum but encountered a setback when they encountered Dumas in a Toyota, which hindered their progress as dust obscured the view and required a moment to clear the path. Sainz afterwards reflected on the challenging Al-Hofuf camp, acknowledging that the day did not go as well as planned and that there was room for improvement, even though the time gap was not catastrophic.
Even with that setback, the result kept Al-Attiyah within striking distance, as he remained more than seven minutes behind the leader and also widened the margin to his Audi teammates, Ekstrom and Peterhansel. The Swedish driver, currently in fourth place, trailed by 17 minutes, while the veteran Dakar champion still held an eighth-place position, about 26 minutes off the top spot.
For Laia Sanz, the day carried its own small triumphs. She continued to prove competitive in the car category associated with Astarac, again finishing among the top fifteen with a steady performance. Nani Roma followed close behind, securing 13th place in a Ford entry and keeping a steady pace in difficult conditions.
The day’s misfortune fell on Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero. Moraes, who opened the stage for the first Dakar career in his logbook, mislaid his way within the first kilometer and spent a large portion of the stage chasing his path, ultimately finishing more than ten minutes back. Quintero, the young American hopeful driving for Toyota in the post-Al-Attiyah era, suffered a breakdown at the 68th kilometer. The halt required assistance and effectively ended his podium dreams for this edition, a reminder of how punishing the event remains for even the most talented rookies.
Across the board, competitors faced the demanding desert conditions with grit, and the day’s results continued to shape a battle that promises intense action as the rally moves forward. The balance between flawless navigation, mechanical reliability, and strategic pacing remains the key to climbing the standings, a fact that every entrant understands as they push toward the next checkpoint and the ever-tightening race against the clock.