The Dakar rally in Saudi Arabia

'A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind'. With those famous words, Thierry Sabine, the creator of the Paris-Dakar Rally, kicked off the very first desert race in 1978. A journey of ten thousand kilometers, across the Sahara, with Dakar as its final destination. Racing heroes compete in the event in a variety of classes: cars, motorcycles, quads and trucks. The Dakar Rally was organized in Africa for decades, then moved to South America, landing in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

Bringing in the Dakar Rally is part of Vision 2030, a multi-year plan through which the country wants to put itself on the international map. With sports as one of the main pillars. The Dakar 2026, which will take place from Jan. 3 to Jan. 17, will take drivers and teams to the Red Sea coast in Yanbu for a round trip of about 8,000 kilometers, including 5,000 kilometers of chrono rides. Halfway through the rally, participants can rest during a rest day in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Also, AlUla, Hail and Djedda visited.

Simultaneously with the opening of entries, David Castera unveiled the broad outlines of the 48th edition (which also kicks off the new W2RC season) at a meeting at the Spanish estate of Les Comes. The event was broadcast live in the Netherlands, Italy, the Czech Republic and Chile.

The Dakar Rally saw the participation of the first Saudi woman in 2022: Mashael Al Obaidan then rode in the Dakar Rally for the first time.

The Dakar Rally is the ultimate test for man and machine

Sand, in all shapes and colors. The route of the Dakar Rally that was covered in 2026 would probably have been approved by the late Thierry Sabine, who was a motorcyclist himself and had a great fascination for the desert. The 2026 Dakar Rally had 787 participants who covered an exhausting 8,000 kilometers through the epic landscapes of Saudi Arabia in cars, motorcycles, trucks, and quads, an ultimate test of rally-raid endurance.

Want to experience the Dakar Rally up close?

Want to experience the Dakar action up close? You can. There are areas set up for spectators at the start and finish line of each stage. You will visit the opening ceremony and get a unique look behind the scenes. Together with a guide, you will enter the bivouac, the temporary camp for riders and their teams, and get a chance to speak to the drivers.

Before and after the rest day, you will see the Dakar Rally live in action. From a safe distance you will follow how the participants compete for a spot on the podium, an impressive spectacle, with the vast desert as a breathtaking backdrop. Inform here about the possibilities.

For inspiration! See here for Dakar 2026 – The official film.

A new category

This year's Dakar Rally includes the Stock Production category, which aims to give less competitive vehicles the opportunity to participate, provided they have the necessary characteristics and capabilities to traverse the desert terrain. This category is based on commercially produced vehicles, with modified regulations allowing participants to make certain technical adjustments and improvements. Remarkably, Land Rover participated in the 2026 Dakar Rally with two Defender vehicles and finished first and second. A unique achievement.

Towards a clean future

The Dakar Rally also featured a special first: for the first time, cars running on alternative fuels competed. After all, racing is not the cleanest sport. The introduction of the so-called T1-Ultimate class is part of Dakar's ambitious plan for the future. If all goes well, the entire Dakar field will be driving a low-emission vehicle by 2030.

New sustainable technologies are also being tested alongside the route. The organization aims to power the bivouac entirely with renewable energy, with the sun as the most obvious source. By 2026, the Dakar Rally bivouac was already self-sufficient.