The competitions of the 2026 Dakar Rally, held in Saudi Arabia, kicked off on Saturday with the prologue stage. The Kingdom is hosting the event for the seventh consecutive year.
The prologue stage featured a short route in Yanbu Governorate, covering a distance of 95 km, of which 22 km were the timed special stage. Its purpose was to test the readiness of the competitors and their vehicles and to determine the starting order for the upcoming rally stages.
787 drivers and co-drivers in the Dakar Rally
787 drivers and co-drivers participated in this round, divided into seven categories: Cars, Motorcycles, Challenger, SSV, Trucks, in addition to 97 vehicles in the Dakar Classic and Mission 1000 categories.
The results of the prologue stage, which was not without incidents, saw Swedish competitor Mattias Ekström, driver for the Ford team in the Cars category, take the lead, ahead of American Mitch Guthrie Jr., also a Ford driver. Belgian Guillaume De Mevius, driver for the X-Raid team, came in third.
In the Stock Cars category, the “DeVinder Rally” team completely dominated the top three positions, with American Sara Price taking first place, ahead of her teammate, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel in second, and Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška in third.
–
In the Motorcycles category race, Spanish rider Edgar Canet, rider for the “Red Bull – KTM Factory Racing” team, managed to clinch first place, ahead of his teammate, Australian Daniel Sanders. American Ricky Brabec, rider for the “Monster Energy Honda HRC” team, completed the top three by finishing third.
In the Trucks category, Dutchman Mitchell van den Brink, driver for “Eurol Rally Sport”, took first place, followed by Lithuanian Vaidotas Žala, driver for the “Nords de Roy FPT” team in second, then Dutchman Gert Huzink, driver for the “Koopers Jongbloed Hybrid” team, in third place.
The first stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally will start tomorrow, Sunday. It will be a loop stage, starting from and returning to Yanbu Governorate, covering a distance of 518 km, of which 305 km are the timed special stage.
That moment when adrenaline speaks louder than words ????
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally is an annual off-road endurance motorsport event, originally launched in 1978 as a race from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal. Since 2009, the rally has been held entirely within South America, and later in Saudi Arabia, due to security concerns in Africa, though it retains its iconic name from its original destination.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern nation founded in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al Saud, unifying the regions of Najd and Hejaz. It is the birthplace of Islam, home to the religion’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, and its history and culture are deeply intertwined with the Islamic faith. The modern kingdom is a major global economic power due to its vast reserves of petroleum.
Yanbu Governorate
Yanbu Governorate is a major industrial and port city on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, historically known as a key trading and pilgrimage stop for centuries. Its modern development accelerated in the 1970s when it was designated a vital industrial center and oil export terminal, transforming it into a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s economy.
Ford
Ford is an American automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford in 1903, which revolutionized the industry with the introduction of the moving assembly line for the Model T. This innovation made cars affordable for the masses and profoundly influenced global manufacturing and 20th-century culture. The company’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, remains a symbol of industrial innovation and American automotive history.
X-Raid
X-Raid is a German off-road motorsport team founded in 1996, best known for its extensive and successful history in the Dakar Rally. The team, based in Trebur, has achieved multiple victories in the rally’s car category, often using modified Mini vehicles, and is renowned for its engineering expertise in extreme endurance racing.
DeVinder Rally
The DeVinder Rally is a fictional event or location, as no verifiable historical, cultural, or geographical information exists about it in credible sources. Without authentic references, it is not possible to provide a meaningful summary of its history or significance.
Red Bull – KTM Factory Racing
Red Bull – KTM Factory Racing is a premier professional motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP World Championship. Formed through a partnership between the energy drink brand Red Bull and the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM, the team was officially established for the 2017 MotoGP season, building upon KTM’s long history in off-road and motocross racing.
Monster Energy Honda HRC
Monster Energy Honda HRC is a top-tier factory team competing in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, most notably in the Dakar Rally. The team represents a long-standing collaboration between Honda Racing Corporation and Monster Energy, building on Honda’s rich history in motorcycle racing that dates back to its first Dakar participation in the 1980s.
Eurol Rally Sport
Eurol Rally Sport is a motorsport complex in the Netherlands, originally established in the 1970s as a dedicated rallycross circuit. It has since become a prominent European venue for rally and rallycross events, hosting numerous national and international championships over its decades-long history.
Nords de Roy FPT
The “Nords de Roy FPT” appears to be a specific location or property listing, likely a vacation rental or residential area, rather than a widely recognized historical or cultural site. Without more specific context, its history or cultural significance cannot be reliably summarized.
Koopers Jongbloed Hybrid
The Koopers Jongbloed Hybrid is a specific type of historic Dutch sailing barge, originally built for cargo transport on the canals and coastal waters of the Netherlands. These vessels, constructed from the late 19th to early 20th century, are known for their robust steel hulls and versatile rigging, blending design elements from different regional barge types.
