(Reuters) -Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is out of the Dakar Rally after he rolled his Dacia in the Saudi desert on Tuesday as the race continued to take a toll of the big names after the exit of 2024 winner Carlos Sainz.

Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally.

Henk Lategan takes lead with time of 19 hours, 4 minutes, 53 seconds in overall standings in car class - Anadolu Ajansı

Qatar’s five-time champion Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah moved up to second place in the overall standings at the Dakar Rally while 19-year-old South African Saood Variawa secured

Sebastien Loeb struggled to complete Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday after rolling his car near the start, a setback that is likely to cost him his dream of a first title in the event. The nine-time World Rally Champion went off the road 12 kilometres into the 327-stage between Bisha and Al Henakiyah.

Stage 3 of the 47th edition of the Dakar rally featured a shortened special stage due to heavy storms in the Al Henakiyah. At the end of the special stage, Shercos Lorenzo Santolino and Toyotas Saood Variawa emerged as the winners.

South African Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois Cazalet have finished in third place on the first stage of this year's Dakar Rally.

Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb rolled his Dacia in the Saudi desert on Tuesday as the Dakar Rally continued to take a toll of the big names after the exit of 2024 winner Carlos Sainz.

He was forced to pull out of the race for a third time and follows defending champion Carlos Sainz, who crashed the previous day. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Loeb, who has finished second three times in the Dakar Rally, ended the stage in 4 hours 20 minutes 12 seconds, more than an hour behind the day's winner, 19-year-old South African Saood Variawa.