Daniel Sanders leads 2025 Dakar Rally after Stage 2.5
Chucky leads the Dakar Rally early, while his fellow Aussies are still in the race on both two wheels and fourDaniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders is undefeated so far in the 2025 Dakar Rally, leading the infamous race after two and a half stages in Saudi Arabia.
The Australian won the Prologue and Stage One, and was quickest through the first instalment of the gruelling 48h Chrono stage, which takes place over two days. The second part of Stage 2 will kick off later today.
While it's still early days in the Rally, Sanders’ good form will have punters confident he can better his debut result of 4th in 2021. The Red Bull KTM rider has struggled with injury in the years since his debut, but a win in Morocco last October has put him in good stead for the 2025 edition of Dakar.
Related: Sanders is ready to claim first Dakar crown
Honda’s Ricky Brabec sits in second, while Ross Branch is third for Hero Motorsports.
Sanders' fellow Australians Toby Hederics and Andrew Houlihan sit in 31st and 82nd respectively.
Meanwhile, in the Car class, former two-wheel winners Toby Price and Sam Sunderland sit 12th in their Overdrive Racing Toyota. Australian Price was left without a two-wheel ride for 2025 after KTM opted not to renew his contract. Instead, the two-time winner chose to make his four-wheel debut.
The 2025 Dakar Rally will consist of 12 stages in total, with the event set to wrap up on January 17 in Shubaytah. Sanders is looking to become just the second Australian winner after Price.
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