Five-times winner Nasser Al-Attiyah hit trouble in the Dakar Rally on Wednesday, the latest frontrunner to struggle in the Saudi Arabian sands after the departures of Sebastien Loeb and defending champion Carlos Sainz.

Overdrive Toyota’s Yazeed Al Rajhi, who lost out big time on the 48-hour chrono stage in last year’s Dakar Rally, thought he had achieved the best accumulated time over the two days

On two wheels, after the 48 HR Chrono stage, Daniel Sanders has opened up a gap in the general standings and leads Skyler Howes by 12’36’’. Ross Branch is third, 4’’ behind Howes and 8’’ ahead of the American’s team-mate Tosha Schareina. Title holder Ricky Brabec completes the top 5, 15’09’’ behind Sanders.

Carlos Sainz wrote off his chances of defending the Dakar Rally title on Monday after ending the 48-hour second stage in Saudi Arabia more than an hour and half behind new leader Henk Lategan. The 62-

Local driver Yazeed Al Rajhi stormed back into the Dakar Rally's leading threesome when he dominated the fourth stage in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Al Rajhi started 18th in Al Henakiyah and was in front by the first time check in volcanic terrain and never headed on the 415-kilometer (258-mile) course north through canyons to AlUla.

Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška has proved he’s a contender in the Dakar Rally after winning the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is out of the Dakar Rally after he rolled his Dacia in the Saudi desert on Tuesday as the race continued to take a toll of the big names after the exit of 2024 winner Carlos Sainz.

Saudi Arabian Yazeed al-Rajhi won Wednesday's fourth stage of the Dakar Rally, in which five-time winner Nasser al-Attiyah dropped to seventh overall. The special stages between Al Henakiyah and Al Ula in Saudi Arabia included 415km of racing.