Dutch racer reflects on bizarre Dakar crash: 'He would have been dead'

The 2025 running of the Dakar Rally has come to an early end for truck driver Ben de Groot, after sustaining a broken thumb.

The injury occurred due to a bizarre accident, after the Dutchman collided with a local's car during the 48-hour marathon stage. The latter miraculously got away unscathed.

"We were driving through a corner at about 100 kilometres per hour," De Groot told Omroep Brabant whilst recalling the unfortunate episode.

"And suddenly there was a local stuck in the sand. I couldn't brake anymore and we hit it full speed."

De Groot did not dare get out of the car at first for fear something awful had happened.

"But he was really very lucky," the 58-year-old explained. "He was using his shovel to get his car loose. Fortunately, he wasn't in front or behind the car, otherwise he would have been dead.

"He was praying a lot after that and can thank Allah that he is still alive, too. The desert is so big. How big is the chance that a local gets stuck in a corner?"

De Groot is open about the fact he did not initially want to compete in this year's edition of the famed endurance event, but was persuaded by brother William.

"I didn't really want to go myself, but my little brother wanted to so badly," he said before suggesting it will likely be his final Dakar Rally.

"So we went together [for] one more time to finish together. Then it sours that it fails again. I think I will stop. The adventure is over for now. But never say never."

For De Groot, another operation awaits, as two years ago he also broke his thumb in the same race: "I already had a crooked hand, there's room for another crooked one. It's part of the Dakar, but it's a real bummer."