It was a historic day for Saudi Arabia motor racing. Saudi Arabian racer Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the 2025 Dakar Rally on Friday, capping off the two-week event

Yazeed Al-Rajhi has become the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally after completing the race on home sand in Shubaytah.

The 2025 Dakar Rally concluded on Friday, with Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al Rajhi in cars and Australia's Daniel Sanders in bikes being crowned champions. Lucas Moraes in cars and Michael Docherty in bikes won the 61-kilometer 12th stage in Shubaytah.

Henk Lategan and Yazeed Al-Rajhi will duel in the Saudi sand for their first Dakar Rally title after swapping the lead for a second straight day Wednesday. South Africa's Lategan leads his Saudi rival by 2 1/2 minutes going into the 11th and penultimate stage in the Empty Quarter dunes.

Rajhi becomes the first driver to win on home soil since Pierre Lartigue won the Paris to Dakar to Paris rally in 1994.

Sanjay Takale has scripted history, becoming the first-ever Indian driver to finish the Dakar Rally. The 56-year-old competed in the Dakar Classic class this year, driving a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78 alongside co-driver Maxime Raud.