Rally-Raid

South African Safari Rally 2025: Sébastien Loeb 3rd in the first stage

This week, Sébastien Loeb is competing with Dacia in the South African Safari Rally. The French driver got off to a good start, taking third place in the first leg.

Published 20/05/2025 à 16:45

Baptiste Galipaud

  Comment on this article! 1

South African Safari Rally 2025: Sébastien Loeb 3rd in the first stage

© Red Bull Content Pool

The first South African Safari Rally will take place in South Africa from May 18th to 24th. This is a round of the World Championship of rally-raid 2025. This week, in the Ultimate category, two Dacia Sandriders are entered: that of Nasser Al-Attiyah and that of Sébastien Loeb.

This Tuesday, May 20, at the end of the first stage, 260 km long around Sun City, won by local Henk Lategan (Toyota), the Frenchman took a very good 3rd place. Fifth at the finish, the Alsatian ultimately gained two positions since two drivers who finished ahead of him were penalized for missing a "waypoint", that is to say a mandatory checkpoint to validate their time. They are the local Jayden Els and his teammate at Dacia.

In the provisional general classification, led by Henk Lategan, Loeb also ranks third. Nasser Al-Attiyah, who finished ninth in the stage, slips to ninth place in the standings.

LOEB: "I was more focused on the navigation than my rhythm"

"We opened the road, so I was really focused on navigation. And even more focused on navigation than on my pace and my driving. I think we had a good stage, without any mistakes. I didn't push too hard because it could have been tricky in some places. But, in the end, it's not bad. We're in a good position.", assured Sébastien Loeb hot off the press.

"Regarding our position on the road, we don't know if it's better to be in front or to start from the back, because there's a lot of dust. In the end, I don't know if it changes much.", said the French pilot, logically happy with his result.

"Lategan was too fast today, but we knew that. The others are a little slower. We're in a good position for tomorrow. Everything's going well for us.", concluded the Alsatian.

ALSO READ > On a stroll with Sébastien Loeb in theAlpine A110 GT+

Autohebdo Store / Flash Sales

See the shop

Comment on this article! 1

Read also

Comments

1 Comment (s)

Yves-Henri RANDIER

20/05/2025 at 06:47 a.m.

South Africa has launched its first South African Safari Rally, a round of the 1 World Rally-Raid Championship. It's a shame there isn't a WRC round in this country as well as in Namibia because both countries have extraordinary gravel roads! South Africa deserves world rounds and let's hope that F2025 will make its return to Africa in Kyalami (or in Cape Town with a Tilkesque layout) rather than in Rwanda, home to the autocratic warrior Kagame, whose country has become a gold exporter (even though it is not a producer) by plundering the mines of its Congolese neighbor.

Write a comment