A Historic Day for Spanish Rallying: Santolino Claims Dakar Stage victory
Spanish motorsport fans finally had somthing to celebrate at the Dakar rally after two days of disappointment. Salamanca native Lorenzo santolino etched his name in history by securing the first stage win for a Spaniard in this grueling competition. this victory,his first ever stage win,solidifies Santolino’s position as a serious contender in the rally.
Santolino’s triumph came on a shortened stage due to storms that forced organizers to adjust the original route. After the challenging dune-filled terrain of the previous days, the riders enjoyed a slight reprieve. Santolino not only emerged as the fastest but also ended the absolute dominance of leader Daniel Sanders, who ultimately relinquished his lead.
The Spaniard crossed the finish line a full 1 minute and 21 seconds ahead of Bradley cox, who was later penalized six minutes for speeding, significantly altering the standings. Ricky Brabec, Honda’s theoretical leader, inherited second place, finishing just nine seconds ahead of his teammate Skyler Howes. Howes, who hails from the small town of St. George (known for its tragic connection to the film ”the Conqueror”), capitalized on Sanders opening the track and losing nearly fifteen minutes towards the end of the day.Despite this setback, Sanders retains the overall lead by a slim margin of under two minutes.
Santolino described his stage as “almost perfect,” highlighting his strategic attacks. He explained, “I attacked hard on the rocks initially to catch up with Pablo (Quintanilla). We rode together on some fast sections and then in a more technical area with navigation. I remained focused throughout,attacking ahead of him in the last hundred kilometers. I felt good on the bike.” Santolino will enter Thursday’s marathon stage in tenth position, while fellow Spaniard Tosha Schareina, who paid the price for starting with the frontrunners, dropped one position to fifth overall.
Variawa Makes History in the Car category
In the car category,young South African Saood Variawa etched his name in the Dakar record books by becoming the youngest driver to win a stage. He surpassed Seth Quintero’s previous record, set just days earlier, by claiming victory in the third stage.Driving for the formidable Toyota team, Variawa bounced back from a disastrous incident in the previous day’s 48-hour time trial, where he collided with teammate Giniel de Villiers, resulting in important damage to his vehicle. This victory served as a powerful redemption for the young driver.
The Dakar 2025: A Tight Race Heats Up
The Dakar Rally 2025 is proving to be a thrilling contest, with the lead constantly shifting. While Henk Lategan narrowly maintains his position at the top, nasser Al-Attiyah is steadily closing the gap, employing a strategic and calculated approach reminiscent of his signature “catenaccio” tactic.
Al-Attiyah’s sixth-place finish on this stage, though seemingly unremarkable, speaks volumes about his strategy. He conceded only three and a half minutes to the day’s winner while significantly reducing his deficit to Lategan by almost four minutes. On paper, lategan’s Dacia teammate, Sebastien Loeb, posed a greater threat, but misfortune struck the veteran driver early in the stage.Loeb’s Sandrider suffered a devastating rollover, leaving it completely wrecked. Thankfully, assistance trucks and fellow competitor Cristina Gutiérrez came to his aid, allowing him to limp to the finish line, albeit over an hour behind the leader. This setback has pushed Loeb nearly 50 minutes behind the leader in the overall standings, while Al-Attiyah trails by a mere seven minutes.
The upcoming marathon stage in Alula presents a formidable challenge for all competitors. this grueling stretch will test their resilience and mechanical prowess, as outside assistance will be unavailable, forcing them to rely solely on their own skills to repair any damage.
With the Dakar 2025 reaching its critical phase,the pressure is mounting. The competitors who can navigate the demanding Alula marathon unscathed will be best positioned to claim victory.
Santolino makes history, Shakes Up Dakar Standings
Today was a landmark day for Spanish motorsport at the Dakar Rally. After two days of frustrating near-misses, Salamanca’s Lorenzo Santolino delivered a stunning victory, etching his name into the history books as the frist Spaniard to ever win a Dakar stage. This momentous achievement doesn’t just signify a personal triumph for Santolino; it firmly establishes him as a genuine contender in this year’s grueling race.
The stage victory came amidst unexpected changes to the course. A powerful storm forced organizers to shorten the route, offering a welcome reprieve from the punishing dunes that characterized the first two days. While this alteration may have leveled the playing field somewhat,Santolino’s sheer speed and skill shone through,leaving his rivals in the dust.
Santolino’s dominance wasn’t the only drama unfolding today. His victory shattered the seemingly unbreakable momentum of early leader Daniel Sanders. The Australian ace, despite opening the track and navigating challenging conditions, ultimately relinquished his lead due to notable time losses near the end of the abbreviated stage.
Adding further intrigue to the standings was a post-race penalty for Bradley Cox. Originally finishing second, Cox was penalized six minutes for exceeding the speed limit, effectively handing second place to Honda’s Ricky Brabec. Trailing closely behind was Brabec’s teammate, Skyler Howes. hailing from St. George, Utah, a town tragically linked to the film ”The Conqueror” due to a cancer cluster among its cast and crew, Howes capitalized on Sanders’ misfortune to climb the rankings.
Despite today’s setback, Sanders still clings to the overall lead. However, Santolino’s historic victory, coupled with the volatile nature of the Dakar, has injected a thrilling new dynamic into the race. With several days of grueling competition still ahead, the battle for the top spot is far from over.
Will Santolino parlay this victory into a sustained challenge for the overall title? Can Sanders recover and solidify his lead? Only time will tell. One thing is certain: the 2023 Dakar Rally promises to be a race for the ages.
