• A bike competitor during the fourth stage of the 2023 Dakar rally around Ha'il in Saudi Arabia. AFP
    A bike competitor during the fourth stage of the 2023 Dakar rally around Ha'il in Saudi Arabia. AFP
  • Michael Jacobi of France stage four of the Dakar Rally 2023 in Saudi Arabia. EPA
    Michael Jacobi of France stage four of the Dakar Rally 2023 in Saudi Arabia. EPA
  • Spanish driver Fernando Alvarez Castellano on stage four. EPA
    Spanish driver Fernando Alvarez Castellano on stage four. EPA
  • Dutch driver Jeffrey Otten on the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally 2023. EPA
    Dutch driver Jeffrey Otten on the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally 2023. EPA
  • Czech driver Martin Prokop and co-driver Viktor Chytka in their Ford Raptor RS during the rally. EPA
    Czech driver Martin Prokop and co-driver Viktor Chytka in their Ford Raptor RS during the rally. EPA
  • HT Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing's Toni Mulec passes spectators on stage four. Reuters
    HT Rally Raid Husqvarna Racing's Toni Mulec passes spectators on stage four. Reuters
  • Argentinian Luciano Benavides on stage four. AFP
    Argentinian Luciano Benavides on stage four. AFP
  • French driver Lionel Baud and co-driver Remi Boulanger ride ahead of Spanish driver Carlos Checa and co-driver Marc Sola Terradellas during the fourth stage of the 2023 Dakar rally around Ha'il in Saudi Arabia on January 4, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
    French driver Lionel Baud and co-driver Remi Boulanger ride ahead of Spanish driver Carlos Checa and co-driver Marc Sola Terradellas during the fourth stage of the 2023 Dakar rally around Ha'il in Saudi Arabia on January 4, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
  • Team Audi Sport's Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz. Reuters
    Team Audi Sport's Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz. Reuters
  • Energylandia Rally Team's Eryk Goczal and co-driver Oriol Mena in action. Reuters
    Energylandia Rally Team's Eryk Goczal and co-driver Oriol Mena in action. Reuters
  • Team Audi Sport's Mattias Ekstrom and co-driver Emil Bergkvist. Reuters
    Team Audi Sport's Mattias Ekstrom and co-driver Emil Bergkvist. Reuters
  • Aerial view of the prologue, in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
    Aerial view of the prologue, in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
  • Motorsport's Mario Patrao in action. Reuters
    Motorsport's Mario Patrao in action. Reuters
  • A bivouac by the Red Sea coast near Saudi Arabia's Yanbu, during the prologue of Dakar 2023. AFP
    A bivouac by the Red Sea coast near Saudi Arabia's Yanbu, during the prologue of Dakar 2023. AFP
  • Czech truck driver Tomas Vratny, co-driver Bartlomiej Boba, and mechanic Jaromir Martinec compete during the prologue. AFP
    Czech truck driver Tomas Vratny, co-driver Bartlomiej Boba, and mechanic Jaromir Martinec compete during the prologue. AFP
  • Toyota's driver Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar, right, and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France. Swedish driver Mattias Ekstrom and his co-driver Emil Bergkvist of Sweden won the prologue. AFP
    Toyota's driver Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar, right, and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France. Swedish driver Mattias Ekstrom and his co-driver Emil Bergkvist of Sweden won the prologue. AFP
  • Ekstrom, with his co-driver Bergkvist, steers his Audi Hybrid. They won the prologue ahead of French driver Sebastien Loeb and Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin. AFP
    Ekstrom, with his co-driver Bergkvist, steers his Audi Hybrid. They won the prologue ahead of French driver Sebastien Loeb and Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin. AFP
  • Team Dumontier Racing's Jerome Martiny in action during stage 1. Reuters
    Team Dumontier Racing's Jerome Martiny in action during stage 1. Reuters
  • KTM's Austrian biker Matthias Walkner competes during Stage 1. AFP
    KTM's Austrian biker Matthias Walkner competes during Stage 1. AFP
  • Toyota Gazoo Racing's Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings change a tyre during Stage 1. Reuters
    Toyota Gazoo Racing's Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings change a tyre during Stage 1. Reuters
  • Bahrain Raid Xtreme's Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Fabian Lurquin in action during Stage 1. Reuters
    Bahrain Raid Xtreme's Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Fabian Lurquin in action during Stage 1. Reuters
  • Teltonika Racing's Vaidotas Zala and co-driver Paulo Fiuza in action during Stage 1. Reuters
    Teltonika Racing's Vaidotas Zala and co-driver Paulo Fiuza in action during Stage 1. Reuters
  • Dutch driver Pascal de Baar of Riwald Dakar Team in action during the prologue. EPA
    Dutch driver Pascal de Baar of Riwald Dakar Team in action during the prologue. EPA
  • Saudi driver Masheal Al Obaidan during the prologue. Reuters
    Saudi driver Masheal Al Obaidan during the prologue. Reuters
  • Competitors in the Dakar Classic Rally 2023 pose for a group photo on the beach at Sea Camp during the prologue. EPA
    Competitors in the Dakar Classic Rally 2023 pose for a group photo on the beach at Sea Camp during the prologue. EPA

Gulf

2023 Dakar Rally kick starts in Saudia Arabia - in pictures

Rally drivers, bikers and truckers tackle the first of the 14-stage event, running until January 15

The National

January 02, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic
Updated: January 05, 2023, 8:39 AM
Saudi Arabia