Rally Raid
The 8 key moments that defined the 2026 Dakar Rally
The 2026 Dakar Rally was decided by seconds after two weeks of racing across Saudi Arabia. From late-stage battles to standout performances, these are the moments that defined the 48th edition.
New legends were written in the Saudi Arabian sands all across the field as the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally raced to the finish line in Yanbu in record fashion, with Dakar laureates coming from Asia, Europe and North and South America. There were first-time winners, the closest finish ever in the race's history and a sixth crown for a Dakar megastar.
Here’s the key talking points from the 2026 Dakar Rally:
01
It really isn't over until the chequered flag
Two seconds was the margin of victory for Luciano Benavides, as the Argentinian star became a Dakar Race champion for the first time by the smallest margin in the race's history. It was a dramatic Bike race from day one, with defending champion Daniel Sanders the man to beat on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike, but when he dropped down the order after a huge crash, Benavides then picked up the pace and closed a massive gap to the front to take the lead.
Two-time American champion Ricky Brabec and the Honda team fought back, retook the lead and looked ready to cruise to victory on the final stage after starting the final stage with a 3m20s advantage over the younger Benavides brother. However, Benavides never gave up hope, pushing all the way to the end. And, when Brabec made a navigation error just 7km from the finish, the Argentinian pounced and raced home to finish by a winning margin of just two seconds, joining his brother Kevin as a Dakar Rally champ.
Cue incredible scenes as the KTM crew went crazy and Honda's world crumbled around them in what was a finish unlike any the Dakar Rally has ever seen.
Brothers Luciano and Kevin Benavides are both Dakar Rally winners now
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
Pure elation from the new champion after last-gasp ride to glory
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
"I cannot believe it! I never stopped dreaming. To win by just two seconds is unreal. I woke up today full of motivation and energy, trusting myself to do what I can. That's the key to success at the Dakar," said the Salta native. My brother Kevin won by 43 seconds in 2023 and that was the closest finish ever. Now, I've won by two seconds. Two seconds after two weeks and over 8,000km is hard to believe."
In his ninth Dakar Rally, the younger Benavides brother revealed how he claimed his first title: "I never gave up. Today, even though I was losing time, I could see Ricky and he was pushing. I told myself: 'OK, it's not over until the end', and in the last kilometres, he made a mistake and I got it right. So, now it's time to celebrate with a big party in Argentina. It's time to celebrate with my family, my friends and my sponsors – the people who got me here."
Benavides never gave up the chase over more than 8,000km
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
To win by two seconds after two weeks and over 8,000km is hard to believe
It was tough on the two-time champion Brabec and another two-time winner had some words of comfort. "I know the feeling for Ricky. I lost by 43 seconds to Kevin Benavides in 2023 and it really hurt, so to lose by two would be devastating," said Toby Price. "For it come down to that after two weeks in the desert racing, is mind blowing. Congrats to Luciano on his win. Now, the Benavides boys are Dakar winners, which is cool. It would have been nice to see Ricky get his third, but it's also cool to see Luciano get his first."
02
The King of the dunes is unstoppable
The lead of the Ultimate Car category switched between Dacia, Ford and Toyota throughout two weeks of racing and after Toyota dominated last year, 10 different drivers from five manufacturers scored individual stage wins in the 2026 race.
Five-time Darkar Rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah led the standings after Stage 6 and remained among the front runners throughout the rally, but it was on Stage 10, when the Dakarists encountered the biggest dunes of the rally, that the Qatari legend was in his element and surged into a commanding lead.
Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin are the Dakar 2026 champions
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
While Al-Attiyah produced consistent speed as he found his way through the desert, his Ford rivals Mattias Ekström, Mitch Guthrie Jr. and, ultimately, Carlos Sainz lost time to navigation errors.
2025's runner-up, South African Henk Lategan, emerged as a serious contender only to be stricken by a run of disasters while Nani Roma kept in touch, but couldn't close the nine-minute gap as Al-Attiyah claimed a brilliant sixth Dakar crown with his fourth manufacturer.
"We've worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it's there," said Al-Attiyah at the finish. "We're so happy to win. I think we made the difference on the second day of the marathon stage by building up a 12-minute lead. Yesterday was also important. That's when we knew we'd won the race. This is my sixth victory, but I need to break Peterhansel's record."
Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist on stage in the Ford Raptor T1+
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
Nasser Al-Attiyah makes short work of the towering dunes
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
Making tracks: Two-time Dakar champion Nani Roma in the Ford Raptor T1+
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
We're so happy to win. I think we made the difference on the second day of the marathon stage by building up a 12-minute lead
03
Sanders rides through the pain barrier
Defending bike champion Daniel Sanders raced on despite a broken collarbone
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
After claiming the Dakar title in 2025 after leading from the opening stage all the way to the finish, Daniel Sanders’ title defence was dealt a cruel blow when he crashed heavily in the dunes of Stage 10 and brokehis collarbone and sternum. The Australian was leading the Bike class standings at the time after a couple of brilliant rides in the days before.
“Unfortunately, we’ve broken some bones. It was pretty scary. At 140km I went over a dune and nearly landed on Tosha (Schareina). I got up and knew the collarbone was broken and also the sternum,” said Sanders. “I’m in a lot of pain. Now I’ll go back to the team to evaluate the injuries.”
In the true spirit of Dakar camaraderie, Honda rival Ricky Brabec paused his race to help the stricken Aussie, ensuring Sanders wasn't in danger and helping him pick up his KTM. Amazingly, Sanders rode the remaining 200km through the dunes to complete the stage despite his injuries.
Defending bike champion Daniel Sanders raced on despite a broken collarbone
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
I wouldn’t have finished if I didn’t want to continue. Mum and Dad didn’t raise no quitter. Unless they drag me out of the race I’m not stopping
"I wouldn’t have finished today if I didn’t want to continue," Sanders said after his fall. "Mum and Dad didn't raise no quitter. Unless they drag me out of the race I'm not stopping."
That was still not the end of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider's Dakar: he continued riding to still finish fifth overall and then went over to congratulate his team-mate Luciano Benavides on his victory – lifting the Argentine up on his shoulder!
"At the finish I was in so much pain I just wanted to lie down. Then, they told me Luciano had won, so I rushed over to congratulate him. That's the Dakar, it's never over until it's over. I'm just happy to make it to the finish."
The KTM crew celebrate Luciano Benavides's historic Bike win
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Rokas rocks in the Stocks
The most successful Dakarist of all time, Stéphane Peterhansel, took on a new challenge for 2026: racing in the Stock category in a Land Rover Defender. He then suffered one of the worst situations in his storied Dakar career when he crashed over the top of a huge dune on Stage 10 and his Defender ended up stuck at the bottom of the dune and on the racing line. The 14-time winner managed to dig himself out despite the terrifying situation of having cars hurtling by him at race speed.
Rokas Baciuška bagged the Stock win the brand new Defender entry
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
And then the rescue truck crashed into the back of his Defender Dakar D7X R. "We were working to get free when a truck arrived and crashed into the back of my car. 30 seconds before, I was stood right there. It's really scary to be stuck behind a dune when cars and trucks are arriving. It was a stressful situation," said Monsieur Dakar.
Peterhansel continued to the end to celebrate victory for his team-mate Rokas Baciuška: "It was a great adventure for Defender. We beat Toyota and scored a 1–2," said the Lithuanian on the finish line. "I've learnt a lot this year, especially from Stéphane Peterhansel. We're friends now. It's nice to be a factory driver. It's so hard to become one in Ultimate, but I will."
Mitch Guthrie and Kellon Walch arrive in the marathon bivouac
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Cristina Gutierrez makes repairs at the first half of the Marathon Stage
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Dakar rookie Johan Kristoffersson carries out an essential service
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Bivouac boss: Dania Akeel in Wadi ad-Dawasir
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
05
A true Dakar Rally legend
Co-driving legend Mathieu Baumel’s journey back to the top step of the Dakar Rally in this year's race is truly inspirational. Last January, as he made his way to the historic Rallye Monte-Carlo, he stopped near Reims to help a broken-down vehicle. But while he was at the scene, another car collided with the four-time Dakar champion.
Mathieu Baumel is the first amputee to win a Dakar Stage
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Medics placed him in a coma as they operated on his legs. They saved his life, but they had to amputate his right leg. Since then, Baumel has battled back to fitness and learned to use a prosthetic leg – and he was back on the start line of this year's Dakar Rally as co-driver to Belgian Guillaume de Mévius.
After the first stage on Sunday, the two-time W2RC champion was back on the top step as a Dakar Rally winner and the first-ever amputee to win a Dakar Stage. "What an achievement to win a stage, especially the very first one of the rally," he beamed. "The first victory was simply being at the start at all. Now it’s even better: the stage win and rally lead. From this point on, everything is a bonus."
06
The Ford Raptor T1+ likes racing at the sharp end
The loop around Al Ula on Stage 3 provides perfect conditions for the Ford M-Sport Ford Raptor T1+, as the cars took the top five places in the overall standings with Mitch Guthrie leading the way ahead of privateer Martin Prokop. Mattias Ekström, Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma filled up positions P3, P4 and P5 behind them, separated by less than four minutes. Roma and Ekström would carry that speed all the way through to the finish to claim second and third overall in the Ultimate class.
But while Ford was enjoying the fast and rocky early stages, rivals suffered: the Dacias of rally leader Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sébastien Loeb both suffered two punctures on Stage 3, with the Qatari falling to P10 overall while the nine-time WRC champion lost half an hour. Al-Attiyah fought back in the dunes to claim a sixth title, but that early setback knocked Loeb out of contention.
That's back-to-back podiums for Mattias Ekström in the Ford Raptor T1+
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
Nani Roma kept it on four wheels (mostly) to finish a superb second
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
"It's not suited to our cars," said Loeb. "We're driving at about 20 percent just to avoid punctures and we still had them. I'd had two punctures after 100km, whereas yesterday I had none."
Toyota also struggled. After a dominant win on Stage 2, Seth Quintero opened the road and lost all his tyres to punctures. Ford privateer Denis Krotov gifted him a spare wheel, but the American still lost an hour.
Punctures put paid to Guillaume de Mévius’s campaign as the Belgian lost over two hours and dropped to 60th place when he shredded his tyres on the sharp rocks. "I think we lost the Dakar today," said the Belgian at the finish of Stage 3. "We had a puncture and made several mistakes. First we had to wait for Lionel [Baud], who gave us a wheel, but he also got a puncture, so we gave it back to him. We carried on as best we could and in the end Maria Gameiro gave us a wheel to cover the final kilometres. It’s a tough day to digest."
Two-time Dakar champ Kevin Benavides makes his Challenger Class debut
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Stéphane Peterhansel is leading Land Rover's bid in the Stock class
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Press call: Nani Roma faces the press after Stage 11
© Kin Marcin / Red Bull Content Pool
Dakar winner Cristina Gutiérrez talks to the press after Stage 11
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
07
On the rookie road
There were some big names taking part in their first Dakar Rally and they all somehow connect to Sébastien Loeb. Eight-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson debuted racing for the RZR Factory team backed by Sébastien Loeb Racing in the SSX class. With World RX losing its world championship status, the versatile Swede is making the switch to a new series after a decade of dominance.
"It feels like I'm jumping out of a plane without a parachute if I'm being honest," he confessed. "I'm jumping straight into the Dakar." The Swede is not a complete stranger to rally raid, having won the inaugural Xtreme E championship where he beat Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez in the process.
Rallycross this is not: Johan Kristoffersson hits his first Dakar dunes
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
WRC driver Grégoire Munster also competed in his first Dakar, but as the co-driver for Greek privateer Jourdan Serderidis. The 61-year-old rookie – who took up rallying after a chance meeting with Sébastien Loeb a decade ago – persuaded the Luxembourgish racer to partner him after they took part in the East Safari Classic Rally.
"When Jourdan proposed this idea during the rest day in Kenya, I told him it was a very bad idea," said Munster. "But I'm down for it, because how many times do you get the occasion to do the Dakar?" As soon as he crossed the finish line, Munster was on the first flight back to Europe in time for the Monte-Carlo Rally and the start of the 2026 WRC season.
08
Henk Lategan's run of rotten luck
Runner-up in the Ultimate class in 2015, Henk Lategan must be in with a good case to win the award for Dakar's most resilient racer. The South African picked up a record number of punctures in the first week, had to make numerous running repairs to his Toyota Hilux and was forced to put on goggles to finish Stage 9 after a collision broke his windshield.
There was even more drama for Lategan on Stage 10 after the convoy camped out overnight away from their service crews. After repairing his HiLux again in the bivouac, the Toyota star ran out of fuel and had to be towed to the finish by his team-mate Toby Price.
Running repairs: Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings
© Florent Gooden/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool
"Every single thing that could go wrong has gone wrong at this race. We lost power steering yesterday, and we ran out of fuel today," said Lategan. "Our car is mechanically perfect, but it doesn't go without fuel. Luckily, today we had our team-mate Toby driving behind us, and he towed us to the finish. It feels like luck has been really upset and angry with us at this rally."
The Dakar gods continued to rage at Lategan, and on Stage 11, a broken bearing on his rear left wheel cost him four hours and effectively ended his Dakar. Of course, none of this will keep him from coming back again next year.