The Dakar Rally 2026 dates have been announced
It’s racing in (no, seriously)
It’s official. Motorsports fans, listen up: the notoriously tough Dakar Rally is coming back for its seventh edition in Saudi Arabia. Get ready for the Dakar Rally 2026 speeding into town next month.
Now extending its presence in the Kingdom by five more years (until 2030), Dakar will be debuting a new itinerary for the seventh edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia from Saturday January 3 to Saturday Janaury 17 2026.
Dakar Rally 2026
The rally will begin in the coastal city of Yanbu, one of the most beautiful destinations on the Red Sea coast, with the race starting on Saturday, January 3 and continuing for 14 days. Participants will tackle a circuitous route spanning 8,000 kilometres, including 5,000 kilometres of special stages that will test the competitors’ speed and skill.
Dakar Rally 2026 features over 812 competitors representing 69 nationalities from around the world, competing in 433 vehicles across various categories in a challenging and thrilling journey. The race covers a total distance of 7,994 kilometers, including 4,840 kilometers of timed special stages, adding to the excitement of the competition.
Dakar Rally 2026
The route
The Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 will start from Yanbu on the Red Sea coast on January 3, with participants embarking on a journey full of geographical diversity and adventure, passing through Al-Ula, Hail, Riyadh, Wadi Al-Dawasir, Bisha, and Al-Hanakiya, before the competition concludes again in Yanbu on January 17, 2026.
The stages
- Stage two: Monday January 5: Yanbu – Al-Ula, for a distance of 504 kilometres (special stage 400 kilometres).
- Stage three: Tuesday January 6: Al-Ula – Al-Ula, for a distance of 666 kilometres (special stage 422 kilometres).
- Stage four: Wednesday January 7: Al-Ula – Overnight Camp, for a distance of 526 kilometres (Special Stage 451 kilometres).
- Stage five: Thursday January 8: Overnight Camp – Hail, for a distance of 428 kilometres (372-kilometre special stage).
- Stage six: Friday January 9: Hail – Riyadh, for a distance of 920 kilometres (special stage 331 kilometres).
- Day off: Saturday January 10, Riyadh.
- Stage seven, Sunday January 11: Riyadh – Wadi Al Dawasir, for a distance of 876 kilometres (special stage 462 kilometres).
- Stage eight: Monday January 12: Wadi Al Dawasir – Wadi Al Dawasir, for a distance of 717 kilometres (special stage 481 kilometres).
- Stage nine: Tuesday January 13: Wadi Al-Dawasir – Overnight Camp, for a distance of 531 kilometres (Special Stage 410 kilometres).
- Stage 10: Wednesday, January 14: Overnight Camp – Bisha, for a distance of 469 kilometres (Special Stage 421 kilometres).
- Stage 11: Thursday January 15: Bisha – Al-Hanakiya, for a distance of 882 kilometres (special stage 347 kilometres).
- Stage 12: Friday January 16: Al-Hanakiya – Yanbu, for a distance of 718 kilometres (special stage 310 kilometres).
- Stage 13: Saturday January 17: Yanbu – Yanbu, for a distance of 141 kilometres (special stage 105 kilometres).
Visit: dakar.com
Images: What’s On archives
