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 course of the 2025 Dakar Rally probably would have met with the approval of the now deceased Thierry Sabine, who himself rode motorcycles and had a great fascination with the desert. The 2025 Dakar Rally featured 807 participants who used cars, motorcycles, trucks and quads to cover an exhausting 7,700 kilometers through the epic landscapes of Saudi Arabia, 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.

A new category

This year's Dakar Rally includes the Stock Production category, which aims to allow less competitive vehicles to participate, provided they have the necessary features and capabilities to traverse the desert terrain. This category is based on commercially produced vehicles, with modified regulations allowing participants to make certain technical modifications and improvements. Interestingly, Land Rover will participate in the 2026 Dakar Rally with three Defender vehicles, along with Toyota, and record holder Stéphane Peterhansel will return.

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 renewable technologies are also being experimented with alongside the course. The organization aims to power the bivouac entirely with renewable energy, with the sun as the most obvious source of energy. By 2026, the Dakar Rally bivouac should already be self-sufficient.