The world’s most grueling rally is returning to Saudi Arabia once again for the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally, with several changes that are sure to challenge even the most experienced racers.

The 2025 edition will also be one for the tough ones, featuring the return of the 48h chrono, a traditional marathon stageand a three-day adventure in the Empty Quarter, where the race will come to an end.

The Dakar teams have put the pedal to the metal to craft separate courses for at least five specials and design multiple loop stages.

Changes to 48hr Chrono Stage
The concept of a long stage divided between two days in which the competitors have to spend the night in one of several bare-bones bivouacs scattered across the desert was a big hit with racers and viewers alike, as well as amping up the drama and sowing chaos among the title contenders.

A souped-up version of the same idea is returning for the 2025 edition, now clocking in at 950 km (up from 540 km in 2024) and on more varied terrain alternating fast and technical sections. The riders and crews will face this challenge in the opening week. There will be plenty of opportunities to open up a gap, and not just in the dunes.

Separate Courses
At least five stages of the 2025 Dakar will take place on separate courses in order to reduce the number of times that cars have to overtake motorbikes and similar situations. In addition to boosting safety, this places car crews at the front of the field and forces them to navigate without the benefit of the riders’ tracks.

The specials will get going as soon as the sun peeks over the horizon, ensuring that the FIA specials can take place entirely during the day and limiting late arrivals in the bivouac. Last but not least, the truckers will also have their own separate course in one of the stages held in the Empty Quarter.

The End of the Road
The Dakar field discovered Shubaytah in 2020. The gateway to the vast desert of the Empty Quarter has returned for the last two editions as the base camp for an ever more daring exploration of this sea of dunes. This time round, Shubaytah will mark the end of the adventure, much like a beacon leading the competitors to the exit after a three-day battle among chotts and dunes, including a special stretching for more than 400 km.

In the finale, the cars and riders will share the limelight with the seemingly never-ending expanse of sand. It will be a gripping spectacle.

More Info: 2025 Dakar Rally