Dakar 2025: Challenges and New Features of the Rally in Saudi Arabia

Dakar 2025: Planning and Challenges

Summary: The 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia will be held from January 3 to 17, with a route from Bisha to Shubaytah. The event will feature challenging stages and separate routes for different vehicle categories.

Route and Presentation

The sixth edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia will start in Bisha and end in Shubaytah. David Castera, the event organizer, presented the plans to an audience of 700 people at the off-road circuit of Les Comes, near Barcelona. The Dakar Tour will continue in countries such as South Africa, Italy, Argentina, Mexico, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, promoting the event among fans.

New Stages and Challenges

The Dakar 2025 will maintain its high level of difficulty, introducing the "48h chrono", a marathon stage, and a three-day stay in the Empty Quarter. Separate routes will be designed for the categories for at least five days, and there will be several loop stages to offer greater diversity and challenge to the participants.

Pre-Rally Gathering

The gathering in Bisha before the start of the rally has become an important event. Teams make final adjustments, perform pre-tests, and undergo technical and administrative checks. This meeting in a remote location offers a unique experience, including the first days of the race and the arrival of the prologue.

Competition Innovations

48H Chrono

The "48h chrono" stage will be longer in 2025, with 950 kilometers instead of the previous year's 540. This stage will be held over two days with a stop at a minimalist bivouac in the desert. The sections will alternate between technical and fast, offering opportunities to create gaps.

Separate Routes

To avoid dangerous overtakes, different routes have been prepared for at least five stages. Cars and bikes will have their own paths, allowing car teams to navigate without following the bike tracks. Additionally, trucks will have their own route in a special stage in the Empty Quarter.

Marathon Stage

Participants will face two marathon stages where they will not have access to their support teams. Mechanical management will be crucial to complete more than 800 kilometers without the help of their usual mechanics.

Empty Quarter and Shubaytah

Shubaytah, known since 2020, will once again be a key point. Competitors will navigate for three days through the Empty Quarter, concluding with a special stage of more than 400 kilometers. The final stage will offer an impressive spectacle with vast stretches of sand sharing the spotlight with the vehicles.

Dakar Classic

The Dakar Classic category will allow the participation of vehicles registered between 2000 and 2005, such as the 2004 Mitsubishi Pajero Evo. The inclusion of newer vehicles increases competitiveness and diversity in the regularity test.

Mission 1000

The Mission 1000 initiative will continue in 2025, allowing vehicles with alternative technologies to test their capabilities in the Dakar. This mission acts as a laboratory in the desert, driving projects that could define the future of rally raids.