Yazeed Al Rajhi became the first Saudi driver to win the Dakar Rally in the ultimate class, holding off South African Henk Lategan, who finished second in the car category.
Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min When one door closes, another one opens. In the case of South Africa's (SA's) Dakar Rally history, one of the legends of the gruelling off-road endurance race -- Giniel de Villiers -- has called time on his Dakar career, which spanned just more than two decades.
"I grew up on a farm and raced everything I could find. It all started when I was four, with a pedal go-kart. My father loved motor racing and passed the virus on to me. Then I started on the track, especially in touring cars, before going off-road," De Villiers recalls.
Known for his incredible consistency, De Villiers managed 20 top 10 finishes, including eight podiums. However, he could not add to this tally in 2025 after being forced to abandon the race due to co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz suffering an injury after the halfway mark of the 12-stage event.
De Villiers was forced to press the brakes on an incredible rally career, which included him becoming the first and only South African to secure an overall win in the Dakar back in 2009. But now new talent has shown a readiness...
