Dakar Rally 2025: Argentinian Leandro López Secures Free Registration Through Road to Dakar
Buenos Aires, Argentina
In a thrilling turn of events, Argentinian racer Leandro López has clinched free registration for the prestigious 2025 Dakar Rally after a superb performance at the Desafío Ruta 40 event. Driving a Can-Am Maverick for Héctor Vische’s HV Racing Team, with Daniel Alberto López as his navigator, López finished third in the Open Cars category, earning him a coveted spot on the Road to Dakar program.
The Road to Dakar is an initiative that provides free Dakar registration for the highest-placing driver in a side-by-side vehicle or bike rider with no prior Dakar experience at select World Rally-Raid Championship rounds. In this case, López’s impressive third-place finish in the Desafío Ruta 40‘s Open Cars category has secured his entry ticket to the 2025 Dakar Rally, set to take place from January 3-17.
“Despite not winning the Open Cars category, López’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. He set a total time of 22:27:03, finishing over two hours behind the category winner, Jeremías Gonzalez Ferioli, and forty-seven minutes behind runner-up Nicolas Gagliardi. However, López’s result was good enough to earn him the second-place spot in the T4 (SSV) category, behind Ferioli.”
Fellow Road to Dakar entrant Alfredo Olmedo was not as fortunate, finishing fifth in Open and over twenty hours behind López after encountering a series of mechanical issues. Interestingly, López set better times than Olmedo across all but one stage, despite Olmedo’s rollover incident in Stage #1.
Leandro López is no stranger to the world of rally-raid racing. He primarily competes in the La Encrucijada Rally-Raid Championship (Campeonato Mendocino de Rally Raid de la Encrucijada), where he claimed the 2023 title. His achievement at the Desafío Ruta 40 event has now secured him a coveted spot in the 2025 Dakar Rally, one of the most challenging and prestigious off-road races in the world.
As the Dakar Rally continues to grow in popularity and attract top talent from around the globe, initiatives like the Road to Dakar provide a valuable opportunity for up-and-coming drivers to showcase their skills and earn a place on the start line. For Leandro López, this is a dream come true, and he will undoubtedly be ready to make his mark on the 2025 Dakar Rally.
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