2026 Dakar Rally Preview [w/video]

The 2026 motorsport season starts with its traditional season opener, the Dakar Rally in just a few days. We take a closer look at what fans can expect from the most popular ‘car’ category in our 2026 Dakar Rally Preview.

Motorsport fans have finally started to re-engage with their families, seen how their kids have grown and chatted with their partners after almost a year, that’s because most racing series have all ended for the 2025 season. While teams from most series are taking a well-deserved break things are in full swing for the hard-working men and women who compete in the world of international rally raiding. The very first event of the 2026 W2RC off-road world championship starts on 3 January 2025.

The 48th Dakar Rally will be held completely within the borders of Saudi Arabia, as it has for many years now. Competitors will race through the harshest Arabian terrain over the course of two weeks. The event starts with a short prologue on 3 January that is used to determine the starting order. Aside for a single rest day, the teams will race every day for two weeks. We keep our focus on the, loosely named, car division.

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Defending Champ

Privateer Yazeed Al Rajhi made history by taking victory at the 2025 event. It was the first time that the race was won by someone on home soil. The champ returns in 2026, after suffering a broken back at another evernt, to defend his crown. He said ahead of this year’s event:

Sure, it was a dream to win the Dakar. Everybody dreams of winning the Dakar. I achieved the dream of millions of people in the world. Of course, I am proud of myself, proud of my country, proud of my team, proud of my co-driver. Of course, it makes a difference to have won. Everybody now believes I can do it. And you, yourself, do you think you can do it? You have the trophy at home, and you can do it again. You trust yourself, and that’s the most important.

Local is Lekker

Al Rajhi will be leading a number of Toyota drivers, not least of all the 2025 runner-up, Henk Lategan. The leading SA driver is among many from SA, however the SA lad will be driving for the Belgium Overdrive squad. The strong team from Toyota Gazoo Racing SA includes Saood Variawa and Guy Botterill. Others who have opted for the racing-winning machines include Shaikh Al Qassimi and Khalid Alkendi, and Khaled Alferaihi and Cándido Carrera, Brazilians Marcos Moraes and Fabio Pedroso and Frenchmen, Ronan Chabot, and Gilles Pillot.

Main Challengers

Nine time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb will be looking for his first Dakar win at his ninth attempt alongside Édouard Boulanger in a Dacia Sandrider. To triumph they will have to beat Dacia teammates, five-time winner, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin, Brazilian Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz and Spanish star Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno.

Click here to watch our video of the lightweight Dallara Stradale sportscar.

Fast Fords

Ford is makes another assault of the rally raid with four-time winner Carlos Sainz. Teammates include Nani Roma, Mattias Ekström, and Mitch Guthrie. More Fords in the hands of privateers Martin Prokop and Denis Krotov will also fly the Blue Oval flag.

Others to Watch

Guillaume De Mévius once again will race a Mini JCW Rally team. The Mini JCW Rally team run by X-Raid are regulars on the rally-raiding scene, although not a factory-backed effort. Lionel Baud and Maria Gameiro complete the John Cooper Works trio.

SA built machines dominate the Dakar Rally. Apart from the aforementioned machines several international crews are using cars built locally. Mathieu Serradori Jesús Calleja and Tim Coronel have all enter Century buggies. In addition, there are Revo T1+ machines built by Red-lined International, which will be raced by Martin and Aliyyah Koloc as well as by Wei Han, Po Tian and Dave Klaassen.