Local driver Yazeed Al Rajhi has taken advantage of a miserable stage by Henk Lategan to grab the Dakar Rally lead in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Saudi Arabia's local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi is in the overall lead for the first time at this year's Dakar Rally after finishing third in stage nine on Tuesday, taking over from Henk Lategan who suffered two punctures.

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Henk Lategan’s lead of the Dakar Rally has melted to 21 seconds after a chaotic seventh stage for timings in the Saudi desert.

That means that TGRSA only has Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois left to support Lategan and Cummings. Giniel de Villiers threw in the towel in his last race after navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz suffered a neck injury.

Toyota's Henk Lategan dominated stage eight of the Dakar Rally on Monday, and despite a speed violation, the win extended his overall lead after the previous day's chaotic race had virtually wiped out his advantage over closest rival Yazeed Al-Rajhi.

The seventh stage of the 2025 Dakar saw Henk Lategan’s (Toyota Gazoo Racing) lead over Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) absolutely melt

Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah hit the gas on Tuesday to win stage 9 of the Dakar Rally as Saudi Yazeed al-Rajhi took the lead in the drivers' standings.

Henk Lategan’s overall lead was slashed to 21 seconds as a road book note error caused many drivers at the front of the field to lose their bearings, forcing Dakar Rally organisers to erase any gains or losses for a 20km stretch during Sunday’s stage seven.