The vibrant city of Yanbu marked the grand finale of the 5th edition of the Saudi Dakar Rally 2024 on Friday evening, culminating in a thrilling celebration after 14 days of intense competition across 12 stages. This edition, which also marked the 46th in the history of the world rally, witnessed the participation of an impressive 778 drivers and co-drivers, navigating 434 vehicles in six distinct categories.
The rally covered a challenging distance of over 7,500 km, featuring a diverse array of vehicles in categories such as cars, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV) or quads, desert Challenger vehicles, Side by Side (SxS) light commercial desert vehicles, and trucks.
At the closing ceremony, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the Chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), had the honor of crowning the victorious participants in this highly anticipated event. The competition unfolded in six categories, showcasing thrilling and competitive performances.
In a historic achievement, Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, representing the “Audi” team, clinched the title in the car category for the Saudi Dakar Rally 2024. This marked Sainz’s fourth victory in the rally’s history and his second triumph in the Kingdom. Notably, he became the first driver to secure the rally title using an electric car from four different manufacturers. Sainz secured his victory with a remarkable lead of one hour, 20 minutes, and 25 seconds.
The podium also featured Belgian rally driver Guillaume de Mévius in second place and French rally driver Sébastien Loeb in third place, with time differences of one hour, 25 minutes, and 12 seconds, showcasing the intense competition among the elite participants.
The Saudi Dakar Rally 2024 not only tested the skill and endurance of the drivers but also highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to hosting world-class sporting events. As the rally concluded, it left a lasting impression as a platform for excellence and sportsmanship, with drivers pushing the boundaries of performance in the challenging Saudi terrain.
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