Two years ago, during the ninth stage of the Dakar, Yazeed Al Rajhi didn't hesitate to dismantle one of his shock absorbers to install it in Henk Lategan's car, who was suffering from a serious breakdown after crossing a dune. This gesture allowed the South African to finish fifth in the race. Both were driving for Toyota, but the Saudi's generosity deeply touched Lategan, who yesterday paid a sincere tribute to the new Dakar winner. The rival who snatched victory from him by a narrow margin (3:57), the second closest difference in history. In his eleventh participation, Al Rahji is the first driver from a private team to lift the Touareg trophy in 25 years.
No one, deprived of the resources of a major brand, had achieved this feat since Jean-Louis Schlesser in 2000. Without diminishing his merit, the truth is that resources have never been a problem for Al Rajhi, whose fortune is estimated at over 2.000 million dollars. Perhaps that's why his generosity is legendary in the Dakar.
It's not just about the feast with which he treats the entire caravan during the rest day. Nor about the gesture from last year with Carlos Sainz, to whom he offered his luxurious motorhome just after the Saudi was forced to retire. Each participation in the toughest rally costs around 800.000 euros. What may seem prohibitive to most is trivial to him.
The owner of the conglomerate Mohammed Al Rajhi & Sons doesn't know how many companies he manages. The most illustrious is Al Rajhi Bank, one of the largest banks in the Islamic world, with 49.000 million dollars in assets. And his steel division controls 80% of the Saudi market. So, even during the Dakar, he needs a slot in his schedule for Zoom meetings. Also for messages with Sainz, whom he idolizes. Timo Gottschalk, his co-driver, has played an important role in this friendship, having won the 2011 edition with Nasser Al-Attiyah and collaborated with the Spaniard during his Buggy stage (2013, 2014).
Sainz's retirement after the second stage and the farewell of Sebastien Loeb, who fell victim to an accident just 24 hours later, cleared the way for Al Rajhi. A driver who had to learn to pace himself. To ease off the gas. To face the Dakar as an endurance race.
"It has been the toughest edition in my 11 participations. Timo has helped me a lot, as he has a lot of experience," he valued after yesterday's impromptu celebration at the Shubaytah finish line. He also didn't forget Schlesser's record or becoming the first local driver to reach the top of the Dakar podium. Just a year ago, while leading the race, his Hilux rolled over several times at the start of the sixth special stage.
This time, success was forged on Thursday's stage, when he managed to leave Lategan behind in the sea of dunes of the Empty Quarter. The Swede Mattias Ekström (Ford) also couldn't keep up and finished third, 20:21 behind, while Al-Attiyah had to settle for matching a historic record of Ari Vatanen and Stéphane Peterhansel: 50 stage wins. Since 2009, when Giniel de Villiers beat Mark Miller and Robby Gordon, there hadn't been a podium without Sainz, Peterhansel, and Al-Attiyah.