"We can do it again"
Crew facts
YAR
- It took him 10 years and 11 participations. Ten long years of learning, successes (in stages) but also setbacks (three retirements), before finally triumphing last January. On his way to his first victory, Yazeed Al Rajhi showed remarkable consistency, winning the 4th stage, which allowed him to climb to second place overall and then never leave the front runners. He took the lead for good on the eve of the finish ahead of his closest rival, Henk Lategan.
- As well as being a fierce competitor, Yazeed Al Rajhi is appreciated for his kindness and generosity at the Dakar bivouacs. For several years now, he has systematically organised banquets, often on rest days, to which he invites many competitors.
- When it comes to racing, the Saudi driver is less generous. During his first participation in 2015, he secured his first stage victory on day 8 in Chile, in a Toyota Hilux, before retiring while in 3rd place. After a stint with Mini (three Dakars between 2017 and 2019), he had to wait until 2022 before finally climbing onto the third step of the podium.
- From the prestigious Al Rajhi family, which made its fortune in banking, Yazeed specialises in real estate and catering, in addition to his career as a race car driver, which he began in the WRC before moving to rally-raid.
- The 44-year-old driver enters the 2026 Dakar Rally as the defending champion, but appears to be on the back foot after a nasty accident at the Jordan Baja that kept him out of the cockpit for many months due to two fractured vertebrae. His return to competition has not been particularly reassuring (22nd in Portugal, retirement in Morocco).
TG
- Timo Gottschalk is not only one of the best co-drivers in the sport, but also an experienced motorcyclist, and he spends his free time organising tours for enthusiasts in Germany.
- He made his Dakar debut in 2007 as Dieter Depping's navigator in a truck. Still working with the same driver, he switched to a car (Volkswagen Race Touareg) the following year, finishing an impressive 6th overall. It was likely that he caught Nasser Al Attiyah's attention, who joined the German team in 2010.
- After finishing second in 2010, the pair won in 2011 after a fierce battle with Carlos Sainz. However, with Volkswagen's exit from the sport, the pair went their separate ways the following year.
- The native of Neuruppin, north of Berlin, has been a Dakar regular since his debut, taking turns in the cockpit with Carlos Sainz, Yazeed Al Rajhi (for the first time), Kuba Przygonski, and then the very promising Lucas Moraes, with whom he finished in 3rd place in 2023.
- He rejoined Al Rajhi for the rest of the 2023 season and the 2024 Dakar, which ended with a barrel roll on stage 6.
- Runner-up in the W2RC co-driver world championship for the second consecutive year in 2024, Gottschalk was instrumental in his driver's first victory last January.
- After suffering a back injury similar to that of his driver, Yazeed, at the Jordan Baja, the German veteran hopes to be 100% fit for the 2026 Dakar.
Ambition
YAR: "Sure, it was a dream to win the Dakar. Everybody dreams of winning the Dakar. I achieved the dream of millions of people in the world. Of course, I am proud of myself, proud of my country, proud of my team, proud of my co-driver.
In ten years, you build experience kilometre after kilometre. To know how to drive in the dunes, in the technical parts, and with the stones. When you have to push, when you have to be slow, you need to have a good strategy. A lot of things, and it doesn't come in one year. We built it step by step until we conquered the trophy. The first thing is that we had the best car. Secondly, we had the best team and the best co-driver. And of course, we had the best driver. But a lot of days, you fight against yourself.
Of course, it makes a difference to have won. Everybody now believes I can do it. And you, yourself, do you think you can do it? You have the trophy at home, and you can do it again. You trust yourself, and that's the most important. But on the Dakar, you can't know exactly. The race is open until the last day. Every year, there is a surprise. There are many fast drivers, and the best drivers in the world. Every day you have to look around. Every day you have a different fight.
Regarding the accident, it wasn't easy because it took a long time to recover. But it's not my first accident or injury. Three times, I broke my back, and I came back and I won. Sure, we can do it again. I tell my fans: support me and trust me, and we can do it together."
TG: The victory in January was really overwhelming. The organisers really pushed us to the limits and beyond. The strategy wasn't easy. The driving? A real challenge. Yazeed's performance was something else this time! And the navigation was really demanding! I was proud to achieve this. I think that the main thing at first is that you really have to be addicted to it. From a mental standpoint, it's more difficult than the physical side. You have to be focused all the time, which is not easy. You need to accept that you make mistakes. It's normal. It's life. We are all humans. You need some luck to win the Dakar. Without any luck, you can't do it.
I have always been in the co-driver seat from the beginning because I was never interested in driving myself. I like to make things correctly and accurately, which is why I'm good in the co-driver's seat. If you don't win an event because of mistakes you have made, it's hard to swallow, but at the same time, it gives you even more drive to try again. To understand and to learn from the mistakes you made, and make it better the next time. The closer you come to the finish line, the more stress you have inside. You're always scared that something out of your control could happen and make you lose everything again. After our crash in Jordan, it had been a long time since being in a rally car. For sure, I feel terrific. I have my doctor's okay. My back feels fine, and I've already put in a lot of miles on my motorbike. After the long break, for sure, it will take some time to get confidence and get the right feeling in the car again."
I have always been in the co-driver seat from the beginning because I was never interested in driving myself. I like to make things correctly and accurately, which is why I'm good in the co-driver's seat. If you don't win an event because of mistakes you have made, it's hard to swallow, but at the same time, it gives you even more drive to try again. To understand and to learn from the mistakes you made, and make it better the next time. The closer you come to the finish line, the more stress you have inside. You're always scared that something out of your control could happen and make you lose everything again. After our crash in Jordan, it had been a long time since being in a rally car. For sure, I feel terrific. I have my doctor's okay. My back feels fine, and I've already put in a lot of miles on my motorbike. After the long break, for sure, it will take some time to get confidence and get the right feeling in the car again."
