AL DUWADIMI, Saudi Arabia — Argentine Luciano Benavides was a giant mover throughout Monday’s Dakar Rally Stage Eight as he gained by over two minutes, whereas additionally stopping to verify on Pablo Quintanilla who crashed 133km into the stage.
Fortunately, after calling for medical help, the Chilean’s accidents didn’t seem too critical and Benavides was given the time again.
“I used to be using with Adrien (Van Beveren) and we noticed Pablo on the bottom, so instantly we referred to as the helicopter,” Benavides mentioned. “We stayed with Pablo for half-hour. It seems to be like he has nothing damaged, however he does have a concussion.”
With the path to Saudi Arabia’s capital metropolis of Riyadh that includes a timed particular stage of over 480 kilometers, Benavides now strikes as much as fourth total half-hour, 48 seconds behind bike chief Daniel Sanders with Spanish rookie Edgar Canet – the most recent recruit to Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing – main the Rally2 class by 31 minutes, 11 seconds from Austrian rider Tobias Ebster.
“I began second and, after 90km, we caught Daniel and Tosha (Schareina) additionally joined us,” Ebster mentioned. “We then spent the remainder of the day using as a bunch and making good navigation all the best way.”
Within the Challenger class, Spaniard Pau Navarro earned his first 2025 Dakar stage win on the wheel of his Taurus T3 Max to maneuver 1hr40m35s behind class chief Nicolas Cavigliasso. With Portuguese driver Gonçalo Guerreiro sitting 25 minutes, 49 seconds behind Cavigliasso.
“We talked earlier than the stage and determined to go for the win at this time,” Navarro mentioned. “It was a distinct technique for us, and we pushed and pushed and pushed.”
Within the Final class, Swede Mattias Ekström’s bid to chop the hole additional to chief Henk Lategan was hamstrung by an extended stretch of opening the street in his Ford Raptor T1+ that leaves him 28m55s again now.
“We had been opening from 50km to 350km and that was troublesome,” the previous two-time DTM champion mentioned. “I’m doing the whole lot I can and the plan is to maintain doing on that for 4 extra levels.”
5-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and Stage Seven victor Lucas Moraes additionally struggled, whereas Belgian Guillaume De Mévius suffered an early stoppage in his MINI throughout a troublesome day that noticed him concede over three hours.
“It was a very powerful stage for us,” De Mévius mentioned. “We bought a technical drawback after 100km of the stage, so we needed to cease to restore it.
“After that, we had been within the mud of everyone and we solely had traction from the entrance wheels. Within the dunes that was powerful.”
Within the SSV class, Francisco “Chaleco” López lies over two hours again from chief Brock Heger.
“It was a tough begin for us,” López mentioned. “An early puncture and the primary 100km all within the mud. A lot site visitors originally, however the ultimate kilometers on the dunes had been enjoyable.”
A comparatively quick hop from Riyadh to Haradh awaits on Tuesday’s Stage 9, with a timed part measuring 357km, as beginning positions turn into essential within the ultimate Empty Quarter desert levels.
