Stage 3 of the South African Safari Rally – part of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and brought to you by Toyota Gazoo Racing – delivered freezing starts, intense competition, and major shakeups across all classes.RallyGP: Sanders Surges, Schareina Out

After a bitterly cold night in tents at a remote bivouac over 1,000 meters above sea level, competitors in both cars and bikes tackled a brutal 272 km selective section. Frost-covered bikes and vehicles greeted riders at dawn, setting the tone for a physically and mentally demanding day in the African bushveld.

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Sanders Dominates in Bikes

Australia’s Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) once again proved why he’s the man to beat in RallyGP, claiming his 18th stage win and breaking Adrien van Beveren’s record for most W2RC motorcycle victories. Despite the icy terrain, Sanders charged ahead, extending his overall lead to 2’48” over teammate Luciano Benavides.

Botswana’s Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) showed his resilience, finishing third despite nursing his bike after a Stage 2 incident involving a bird strike. “Stage 3 was like riding in my backyard,” said Branch, referencing the familiar bushveld terrain.

In Rally2, Spain’s Edgar Canet continued his flawless run with a third consecutive stage win, while South Africa’s Michael Docherty and Chile’s Ruy Barbosa rounded out the top three. Canet holds an 18’16” overall lead.

CFMOTO’s Gaëtan Martinez topped the quads, followed by teammate Antanas Kanopkinas and South Africa’s Carien Teessen.

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Dacia Sandriders and Al Attiyah Rise in the Car Category

Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah (Dacia Sandriders) bounced back in dramatic fashion, winning Stage 3 despite a 2-minute time penalty. The reigning W2RC champ showcased exceptional speed and navigational prowess alongside co-driver Edouard Boulanger. “Opening stages here is very difficult,” Al Attiyah said, “but I’ll try to help the team get both cars in good positions.”

Spain’s Carlos Sainz (Ford M-Sport Raptor) and France’s Mathieu Serradori (Century Racing SRT) followed closely, separated by mere seconds.

But it was WRC legend Sébastien Loeb who now leads the overall standings in the Ultimate car category. Climbing from 51st after the prologue, Loeb and Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin have found their rhythm in the Dacia Sandrider. “Navigation is still tricky, but the car has been perfect,” Loeb said.

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Drama for South Africans

Stage 1 winners Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (Toyota Gazoo Racing) ran strong until drivetrain issues struck, dropping them to fifth on the day but holding third overall. “We overtook Sainz and Roma, but lost time after breaking a driveshaft,” Lategan explained.

With Loeb leading Sainz by only 23 seconds and Lategan 30 seconds off the lead, the competition is tighter than ever heading into Stage 4.

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Other Highlights

• Challenger Class: Argentina’s David Zille and Sebastian Cesana (BBR Motorsport) continued their dominance, ahead of compatriots Nicolás Cavigliasso and Valentina Pertegarini.

• SSV Category: Portugal’s Mário Franco and Joao Miranda (Francosport) took another win, extending their overall lead to over 10 minutes.

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Next Up: Stage 4

Stage 4 features 224 km of mountainous, rocky terrain along the Botswana border. With navigation challenges increasing and mechanical attrition looming, even minor mistakes could drastically reshape the leaderboard.

Stay tuned as the South African Safari Rally heads into its penultimate test—where legends are made, and championships are shaped.

All results provisional.

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