Final Preparations Underway for Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia

   Yanbu, December 22, 2025, SPA -- Preparations are continuing for the launch of the Dakar Rally 2026 in Saudi Arabia, with less than two weeks remaining before the Kingdom hosts the iconic rally for the seventh consecutive year.
   The Dakar Rally will be held under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport and organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) in collaboration with the Saudi Motorsport Company.
   Preparations are accelerating through close coordination and ongoing meetings among relevant government entities as part of efforts to ensure full readiness for the launch of this global sporting event.
   On the logistical front, King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu received two ships last week, arriving from the Spanish port of Barcelona, carrying the rally’s participating vehicles and equipment. Technical inspections of the vehicles are scheduled to take place on January 1 and 2.
   The upcoming Dakar Rally will see broad international participation, with competitions spanning 14 days from January 3 to 17. The rally includes a prologue stage and 13 main stages, featuring 812 competitors representing 69 countries.
   They will compete in 433 vehicles in various race categories: 73 Ultimate cars, 46 trucks, 118 motorbikes, eight vehicles in Stock, 38 Challenger vehicles, 43 side-by-side vehicles (SSVs), and 75 historic cars and 24 historic trucks.
   The Mission 1000 challenge will add to the excitement with seven motorbikes and a truck.
   The rally will be held along a new route, designed carefully to reflect the diversity of Saudi Arabia’s terrain, geography, and cultural landscape across multiple regions, further reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for motorsport.
   The rally gets underway with the prologue stage on Saturday, January 3, in Yanbu, covering 23 km, before shifting into full competition with Stage One in Yanbu on January 4 (305 km). The challenge then moves on to Stage Two on January 5 toward AlUla (400 km), followed by Stage Three within AlUla on January 6 (422 km).
   From there, the rally continues with Stage Four in AlUla (Marathon) on January 7 (451 km), ahead of Stage Five toward Hail on January 8 (372 km) and Stage Six to Riyadh on January 9 (336 km). Competitors will then enjoy a rest day in Riyadh on Saturday, January 10.
   Action resumes on January 11 with Stage Seven from Riyadh to Wadi Al-Dawasir (462 km), before Stage Eight unfolds within Wadi Al-Dawasir on January 12 (481 km).
   The rally then presses on with Stage Nine toward Bisha (Marathon) on January 13 (410 km), followed by Stage 10 from the marathon bivouac to Bisha on January 14 (421 km), and Stage 11 from Bisha to Al Henakiyah on January 15 (347 km).
   Stage 12 takes the field from Al Henakiyah back to Yanbu on January 16 (310 km), setting the stage for the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on Saturday, January 17, where the rally concludes over 105 km.
   -- SPA