On Saturday, the first stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally started with a 413-kilometre special stage, where Seth Quintero achieved the second stage victory in the Dakar with Repsol renewable fuels. It was a feat only previously achieved by his teammate, Lucas Moraes, in Stage 3 of the last edition.
Toyota Gazoo Racing driver finished the first stage in a provisional second position, just behind Guerlain Chicherit. However, after reviewing the route taken, the rally stewards decided to award first position to Quintero. The American, at kilometre 330 of the stage, stopped to help Laia Sanz after she suffered an accident, so the organisation decided to make up for the time he lost during his stop.
With this result, Seth Quintero is now the leader of the rally, with a 55-second advantage over his nearest rival. He will open the track for Sunday’s stage, the 48-hour special, one of the most decisive for the competition.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team, with Seth Quintero and Lucas Moraes, use a petrol with 70% renewable materials, a fuel that they began to use in the last edition of the Dakar Rally and which is part of a technological alliance with Toyota Gazoo Racing born from a joint desire to use top-level competition as a testing ground with which to evolve towards new and increasingly efficient products -such as renewable fuel and renewable lubricant.
The rest of the Repsol competitors also had a good performance at the start of the Dakar Rally: João Ferreira was sixth, followed by Lucas Moraes in seventh place. Flu-hit Isidre Esteve finished the day in 69th position, motivated to continue advancing as the stages progressed.
