the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia continued on Monday, January 5, 2026. Organized by the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation and overseen by the Ministry of Sport, the rally featured fierce competition and diverse geographical challenges in its second stage. Competitors set off from Yanbu on the Red Sea coast and finished in the historic city of Al-Ula, covering a total distance of 504 kilometers, including a 400-kilometer timed special stage.
Results in the automotive category and Al Rajhi's brilliance
In the car category, the drivers demonstrated exceptional skill in navigating the challenging terrain. American Seth Quintero , driving for the Toyota Gazoo team, secured first place in the stage with a time of 3 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds. His South African teammate, Henk Latigan, finished second, 1 minute and 42 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi , driving for the Overdrive team, delivered a remarkable performance, earning third place, 1 minute and 56 seconds behind the leader, thus confirming his determination to compete strongly in this edition of the race.
Overall standings and Al-Attiyah's lead
In the overall standings for the car category, veteran Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah , driving a Dacia Sandrider, maintained his lead in the rally with a total time of 7 hours, 12 minutes, and 16 seconds. American Seth Quintero trails him closely in second place by a mere 7 seconds, promising a fierce competition in the upcoming stages, while Belgian Guillaume de Mevius finished third.
The importance of the event and the historical context
This edition of the Dakar Rally holds special significance, as Saudi Arabia has continued to host this global event since 2020, marking the success of the rally's third chapter after those held in Africa and South America. The diverse route, encompassing coastlines, mountains, and deserts, showcases the Kingdom's unique geographical diversity, aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to bolster the sports and tourism sectors. Furthermore, the rally's passage through historical sites like Al-Ula highlights the Kingdom's rich cultural heritage to the world.
Results of other categories
- In the "Stock" car category, American Sara Price took the lead, followed by Lithuanian Rokas Paczewska, and then Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel.
- Motorcycles: Australian Daniel Sanders took first place, ahead of Spaniard Edgar Canet and American Ricky Brabec.
- "Challenger" category: Czech driver Lukas Del Rio won the stage, Saudi driver Yasser Bin Saeedan came in second, and Dutch driver Poke Klaassen came in third.
- SSV category: The Portuguese Gonzalo Guerrero leads, followed by the Frenchmen Florent Vaissard and Xavier de Soultrait.
- Trucks: Dutchman Gert Houzink snatched first place, ahead of Lithuanian Vaidotas Žala and Czech Martin Mašek.
All eyes will be on the third stage tomorrow, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, which is a circular stage starting from and returning to Al-Ula Governorate, with a total distance of 736 km, of which 422 km are timed, where the competition is expected to intensify among the top riders to strengthen their positions in the overall ranking.
