Nasser Al-Attiyah Wins Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 In Ultimate Cars
Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah secures the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 "Ultimate" cars crown, taking a sixth career triumph and third victory in the Kingdom. Al-Attiyah completes the demanding route in 48 hours, 56 minutes and 53 seconds, confirming control of the general classification after consistent pace across the stages.
This seventh edition of Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia, overseen by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation under the Ministry of Sport, ends in Yanbu Governorate. The closing day covers 138 kilometres, including a 105-kilometre timed special stage, highlighting Saudi Arabia's desert terrain and logistical capability for large international rally-raid events.
In the "Ultimate" cars standings, Al-Attiyah finishes 9 minutes and 42 seconds ahead of Spaniard Nani Roma, driving for Ford Racing. Swede Mattias Ekström, also with Ford Racing, claims third place, 14 minutes and 33 seconds behind. Chairman of SAMF and the Saudi Motorsport Company Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullah bin Faisal presents the winner's trophy.
Motorbike honours go to Luciano Benavides of Argentina, riding for Red Bull KTM, with a total time of 49 hours and 40 seconds. Benavides narrowly beats Ricky Brabec of the United States and Tosha Schareina of Spain. The close gaps in this class underline the competitive field across the desert stages.
| Category | Winner | Country / Team | Total Time | Key Rivals (Order) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Ultimate" cars | Nasser Al-Attiyah | Qatar | 48h 56m 53s | Nani Roma; Mattias Ekström |
| Bikes | Luciano Benavides | Argentina / Red Bull KTM | 49h 00m 40s | Ricky Brabec; Tosha Schareina |
| "Challenger" | Pau Navarro | Spain | 54h 46m 00s | Yasir bin Seaidan; Nicolas Cavigliasso |
| SSV | Brock Heger | United States | 55h 11m 00s | Kyle Chaney; Xavier de Soultrait |
| Trucks | Vaidotas Žala | Lithuania | 56h 58m 00s | Aleš Loprais; Mitchel van den Brink |
Spanish driver Pau Navarro leads the "Challenger" division with 54 hours and 46 minutes, followed by Saudi competitor Yasir bin Seaidan and Argentina's Nicolas Cavigliasso. In SSV vehicles, American driver Brock Heger posts 55 hours and 11 minutes, with fellow American Kyle Chaney second and France's Xavier de Soultrait third in class.
Truck crews also deliver close competition, with Lithuanian driver Vaidotas Žala winning that category in 56 hours and 58 minutes. Žala finishes ahead of Czech driver Aleš Loprais and Dutch driver Mitchel van den Brink. Organisers state that this Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 further strengthens the Kingdom's role in hosting major global sporting events.
With inputs from SPA
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