On Sunday, January 11, 2026, the eyes of motorsport fans around the world will be on Saudi Arabia, as the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 resumes with the decisive seventh stage. This stage begins in the capital, Riyadh, and ends in Wadi Al-Dawasir, covering a total distance of 876 kilometers, including a 462-kilometer timed special stage, which will be a true test of the competitors' abilities and their vehicles.
The competitors benefited from a rest day on Saturday, January 10th, an annual tradition in the schedule of the world's oldest rally. Technical teams used this break to carry out comprehensive maintenance, prepare the vehicles, and address mechanical issues that arose during the first week. This rest period is considered crucial for regrouping and strategizing for the remaining decisive stages, which demand peak physical and mental readiness to maintain a strong pace towards the podium.
Terrain challenges and the gateway to the Empty Quarter
Stage seven, heading towards Wadi Al-Dawasir, is of particular importance as it represents the gateway to the harshest desert terrain. This region is characterized by diverse topography, combining fast tracks with sand dunes that demand exceptional navigational skills. The Saudi edition of the Dakar Rally is an exceptional event that reflects the Kingdom's geographical diversity. Since 2020, the rally has moved to the Middle East, opening a new chapter in the history of this sport and further solidifying the Kingdom's position as a global destination for major sporting events.
The battle for the top spot in various categories
Returning to the language of numbers and the overall standings in the car category, veteran Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, driver of the Dacia Sundrieds team, continues his dominance at the top, followed by South African Henk Latigan in second place with a small difference of 6 minutes and 10 seconds, while Spaniard Nani Roma, driver of the Ford Racing team, holds onto third place with a difference of 9 minutes and 13 seconds, which indicates fierce competition in the coming days.
In the lightweight desert vehicle category, "Challenger", Spaniard Bar Navarro, driver of the "Odyssey Academy" team, is at the top, followed by Argentinian Nicola Cavigliasso, driver of the "Vertical Motorsport" team, in second place, 4 minutes and 57 seconds behind, while Chilean Lucas Del Rio is in third place, more than 25 minutes behind.
In the motorcycle category, which is considered the most dangerous and exciting, Australian Daniel Sanders of the Red Bull KTM team is seeking to defend his fragile lead, as he is only 45 seconds ahead of his American pursuer Ricky Brabec of the Honda Energy team, while Argentinian Kevin Benavides comes in third with a difference of more than 10 minutes.
In the SSV category, American Brock Heger is enjoying a perfect run, leading the standings by a comfortable margin of over 32 minutes over his closest rival, Frenchman Xavier de Soultrait. Meanwhile, in the truck category, Dutchman Van den Brink leads the standings, 35 minutes ahead of Czech Martin Mašek, highlighting the strength of European competition in this major class.
The Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia is more than just a race; it is a sporting and tourism event that highlights the beauty of the Saudi desert and promotes economic and tourism activity in the regions it passes through, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals in the sports and quality of life sector.
