The Good Samaritan in Sanjay Takale pops out; the Pune stalwart dishes out another top-10 show
By Rajan Syal
Al Duwadimi (Saudi Arabia), 12 January 2025: The legendary Dakar Spirit, celebrated since the rally’s inception in 1979, continues to define the essence of endurance racing. This spirit of camaraderie was on full display during Stage 7 at Dakar 2025, when Pune’s Sanjay Takale, the first Indian in cars at the iconic Dakar, exemplified true sportsmanship, spending over 10 minutes helping his teammate’s car #768, out of a tricky situation, in the dunes. Dakar’s Race Control acknowledged his selfless act by waiving any penalties for the delayed arrival at the Dune Test finish time control (TC), to the tune of time he lost helping the other driver.
The challenging 14-km Dune Test saw many competitors struggle, with several missing key waypoints and incurring penalties. Remarkably, Sanjay and his co-driver Maxime navigated flawlessly, hitting every waypoint while demonstrating exceptional consistency. Their results in the Regularity Tests were impressive, securing 5th, 13th, and 15th positions in the respective sections.
The final Regularity Test of the stage was a grueling 146km stretch, featuring over 175 speed changes and 36 secret time controls. Despite the mammoth task, the duo managed to finish with only 48 penalties, a feat that underscores their precision and endurance.
As the day’s results and overall standings are awaited, hopes are high for another top-10 overall finish in Stage 07. Fingers crossed as Sanjay and Maxime continue to prove that perseverance, teamwork, and the true Dakar Spirit are the keys to success.
Editor’s note: Sanjay did get a top-10 finish, with a 10th in his class. This copy is written, before the final results of the day arrived.
About author: Rajan Syal is a motorsports fanatic, who saw the game from all sides being a competitor, rallyist and finally, directing the Indian motorsports as the CEO of fmsci, now he is a freelancer enjoying the dunes of Dakar 2025 and entertaining with his timely Dakar updates.
