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Al-Attiyah claims sixth Dakar car crown as Benavides edges bike title

rugby17 January 2026 11:32| © AFP
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Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah secured his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Saudi Arabia on Saturday with Luciano Benavides scraping home by two seconds to claim the bike title.

"We've worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it's there, deep down. We are so happy to win," said Al-Attiyah at the finish.

Al-Attiyah, at the wheel of a Dacia, only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 on Friday.

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The 55-year-old, who took clay pigeon shooting bronze at the 2012 London Olympic Games, was adding to his previous Dakar wins in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.

With Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, Al-Attiyah took control of the overall standings early on in the motorsport marathon.

After placing ninth on the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on the Red Sea he had almost 10 minutes in hand over second-placed Nani Roma (Ford).

Roma's Swedish teammate Mattias Ekstrom won the final stage to complete the car podium in third overall.

For Romanian car manufacturer Dacia this was their first Dakar victory at only their second attempt.

Al-Attiyah already had the second-most overall victories in the car section of the rally.

He moved two ahead of Finn Ari Vatanen and Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who are tied for third with four each. Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel won a record eight times in cars between 2004 and 2021 to go with his car six victories in the bike category.

"This is my sixth victory. I still need to break Peterhansel's record," said Al-Attiyah

Last year's champion, Saudi Yazeed Al Rajhi, was forced to pull out with mechanical problems last week.

Earlier, Argentina's Luciano Benavides took the bike honours by a mere two seconds.

Second in the 13th and closing stage was enough for the 30-year-old KTM rider to deny Honda's American two-time champion Ricky Brabec and secure a debut Dakar crown.

'GLIMMER OF HOPE'

"I've dreamed of this moment my whole life," said the winner.

Brabec, winner in 2020 and 2024, was on target for a third title but lost time when he went the wrong way close to the finish of the 105km ride around Yanbu.

"Even yesterday, it seemed impossible, but I still felt it could happen, and today Ricky took the wrong line and I took the right one," Benavides said.

"It was a glimmer of hope.

"I saw it was him and that he had to pull a U-turn to get back on the right line because crossing between the two was impossible. I saw the opening and I went for it."

Edgar Canet won the bike stage, with Spain's Tosha Schareina (Honda) finishing third and also taking the number-three spot in the overall standings.

Benavides's older brother Kevin won the marathon race in 2021 and 2023.

Benavides said he had given his all "from start to finish today".

"I'd told everyone before the start that this Dakar was mine," he added.

"Nine years in the Dakar and my first win. My brother and I are making history.

"He won by 43 seconds and I've won by two. I think I have him beaten on that front! It's a dream come true."

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