RACE RAP: Tuesday, January 7
Sanders in front: Aussie Daniel Sanders is the two-wheeled pace-setter on Dakar '25. The Red Bull KTM rider holds an early advantage of 12 minutes 36 seconds over American Skyler Howes.
"I don't feel tired at all. I'm ready for what's still to come," says Sanders.
"When you're opening, there's no line so you don't know if it's going to be a soft or hard dune. Everyone bunched up because of the dust, so we were fighting to get the opening bonus."
Price is fourth: Four-wheeled rookie Toby Price is the early stand-out at Dakar '25, holding fourth place in the Extreme division driving his private Toyota HiLux with former rival Sam Sunderland as his co-driver.
"At one point we got past Nasser (third-placed Al-Attiyah) and we were opening the way, but then he just blew back by us. Sammy did a great job. I gave his head a good rattle."
South African Henk Lategan is the four-wheeled leader in a Toyota HiLux after the 48-hour Chrono Stage, which included a bivouac without service.
Sainz is out: Damage to the rollcage of his Ford Raptor has taken Carlos Sainz out of the Dakar after just two stages. The cage was damaged when the car landed upside-down and, although Sainz eventually completed the stage, officials ruled there was too much damage.
“Due to the damage sustained to the safety cage of vehicle #225 (Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz) during the accident in the first part of the 48-hour stage of the Dakar Rally 2025 and in accordance with FIA regulations, it has been decided to withdraw the vehicle,” Ford Motorsport said in an offical statement.
Drag racing in doubt: The first big event of the drag-racing season, the New Year Nitro at Willowbank in Queensland, could be postponed.
There is an 80 per cent chance of rain in south-eastern Queensland on Friday and Saturday, the intended date for the return of Top Fuel racing to the sunshine state.
If the event is postponed, it is likely to be re-scheduled for January 24-25.
Ickx back at Bathurst: The 1977 Bathurst 1000 winner, Jacky Ickx, will return to Mount Panorama next month as a Genesis ambassador.
Ickx, who shared a Falcon coupe with Allan Moffat, will be demonstrating the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept from the South Korean prestige brand during the Bathurst 12-Hour meeting.
Genesis is about to begin a major push into sports car racing, aiming for Le Mans in 2026 with a prototype program that will include both the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA Sports Car series in the USA.
Helio gets a roof: Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves is set for his first NASCAR start in the Daytona 500 on February 16.
The Brazilian has been signed by Trackhouse Racing and will drive in its PROJECT91 Chevrolet entry, the same one previously used by Shane van Gisbergen at Chicago and the Indianapolis road course in 2025, as well as wildcard starts for former Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen at Watkins Glen and the Circuit of the Americas in 2022.
"I know how much of a challenge this is going to be. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started," says Castroneves.
