Dakar Rally

About the Race

The Dakar Rally is the world’s most iconic off-road endurance motorsport event, known for pushing competitors and machines to their absolute limits over unforgiving desert terrain. The 48th edition takes place from 3 to 17 January 2026 in Saudi Arabia, beginning and ending in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

Why It Matters

• Ultimate Endurance Test: This rally isn’t just a race — it’s a full-on survival challenge of navigation, stamina, and mechanical resilience across massive distances and extreme landscapes.
• Global Competition: Drivers, riders, and teams from dozens of countries compete across categories, making it a truly international motorsport spectacle.
• World Rally-Raid Championship Opener: The Dakar Rally also kicks off the FIA/FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) season, drawing elite rally-raid talent to Saudi Arabia’s varied terrain.

What Makes It Unique

Unlike typical motorsports, the Dakar Rally spans nearly 8,000 km with thousands of competitive kilometres of timed stages across sand dunes, rocky plains, and desert paths. Competitors must master navigation, mechanics, and sheer physical endurance over 14 days of racing, including strategic rest days and remote bivouac camps that test teamwork and resilience.

Event Details

• Location: Saudi Arabia (Start & Finish in Yanbu)
• Date: 3 – 17 January 2026
• ⏱️ Duration: 14 days of competition with one rest day included
• Distance: Approx. 7,999 km total, with around 4,845 km of timed special stages where competition is decided.

Race Categories

The Dakar Rally features a range of vehicle classes, ensuring diverse competition across different machinery:

• Motorbikes: High-performance rally bikes navigating extreme terrain.
• Quad Bikes (ATVs): Four-wheeled competitors for solo riders.
• Cars & Prototypes: High-speed specially built rally cars split across multiple classes.
• Side-by-Side (SxS): Lightweight, agile off-road vehicles.
• Trucks: Heavy-duty vehicles racing in their own championship class.

Each category tests vehicle design, team strategy, and the ability to endure some of the harshest rally-raid conditions on the planet.

Route Highlights & Format

The rally starts with a short prologue in Yanbu to establish racing order, followed by daily competitive stages that take racers through iconic desert landscapes like Al-Ula, Ha’il, Riyadh, and more before returning to Yanbu. Along the way, stages vary from fast-paced open terrain to navigation-heavy tricky sections, challenging competitors on every front.

Some stages are designed as “marathon-refuge” tests where competitors receive limited external assistance and must rely on their own skills and teamwork.

Experience the Dakar

Whether you’re a motorsport fan or an adventure enthusiast, the Dakar Rally offers a thrilling combination of speed, strategy, and pure grit. Spectators can follow daily results, highlights, and team stories as the world’s best rally-raid teams battle the sands in Saudi Arabia.