The FIA deemed that the Frenchman’s Dacia Sandrider sustained too much damage to continue. As a result, Loeb was forced to retire ahead of 2025 Dakar Stage 4.
The nine-time WRC champ’s hopes of winning his maiden Dakar Rally will now be postponed for another year. He will join Carlos Sainz, who rolled earlier in the race, as mere spectators for the remainder of the event.
2025 Dakar Stage 4 took place from the overnight stop at Al Henakiyah on a 415 km timed section to end in Al Ula. It is the first part of a two-day ‘marathon’. What this means is that competitors end in the service park and are not allowed outside assistance. The car competitors can help out each other in the overnight camp. And some do in the spirit of the Dakar.
The second part of the marathon will take place on stage 5. The lack of outside help will, no doubt, have been a factor for many crews ahead of the start and during the stage. That same factor could also have played into the hands of those further down the field who had nothing to lose and decided to take more risks.
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