Dakar Rally 2026: Hero MotoSports Finishes Inside Top 10; KTM and Dacia Secure Overall Wins

The Dakar Rally 2026 wrapped up after 13 tough stages across Saudi Arabia, once again showing why it remains the hardest race in motorsport. From early morning starts to long nights in the Desert, riders and drivers faced constant pressure across nearly 8,000km of harsh terrain. The route mixed fast gravel, open dunes and technical navigation sections, with marathon and refuge stages pushing both people and machines. Dakar Rally 2026 also marked the opening round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, bringing factory teams and private entries together across bikes, cars and stock categories.

Also Read: 2026 Red Bull Moto Jam to be Held in Delhi NCR on March 1: Timings, Ticket Prices, Venue and Events

Every stage demanded focus, smart riding and clean decision-making, with the rally staying competitive until the final kilometres of the event.

In the car category, Nasser Al-Attiyah secured overall victory to claim his sixth Dakar Rally title. Driving the Dacia Sandrider, the Qatari controlled the second half of the rally and stayed clear of pressure from Ford and Toyota. The result delivered Dacia its first overall Dakar win and completed a strong debut campaign for the manufacturer in the top class.

The motorcycle category saw Luciano Benavides take overall victory for KTM. The Argentine rider moved into the lead during the later stages and managed the final days with control. KTM once again finished on top at Dakar, continuing its long-standing record in rally-raid competition.

In the Stock class, Defender Rally sealed the win at the 2026 Dakar Rally in its first outing, with Rokas Baciuska and Oriol Vidal taking the top spot in the Defender Dakar D7X-R after two weeks of racing across Saudi Arabia. The team filled the podium fight through the rally, as Sara Price and Sean Berriman finished second, while Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Mika Metge ended the event in fourth place. The wins came after Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal completed all stages of the Dakar Rally, sealing the result on Stage 13 with a time of 55 minutes and 51 seconds. Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge followed in second on the stage, while Sara Price and Sean Berriman finished third. Across the rally, Defender crews recorded 1-2-3 results on 10 stages and covered a combined 24,000km over the 14-day Dakar route.

The Stock class-winning Defender Dakar D7X-R is closely related to the production Defender OCTA and runs the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. For the W2RC competition, the SUV features changes including a wider track, increased ride height, revised suspension and upgraded cooling systems.

Indian in Dakar Rally 2026

Hero MotoSports closed the Dakar Rally 2026 with a double top-10 overall finish. Nacho Cornejo finished seventh, while Ross Branch secured eighth place. Both riders stayed inside the top 10 across all 13 stages despite penalties, crashes and tyre issues.

The Hero 450 Rally completed the entire event without any technical failure. In the final stage, Cornejo placed eighth and Branch finished twelfth, earning 14 and 12 championship points, respectively.

Other Indian participants at the Dakar Rally 2026 included Sanjay Takale, Harith Noah and Jatin Jain across different categories. Takale produced a strong run in the Classic four-wheel class by winning the Prologue, Stage 1 and Stage 2, while leading the H3 category, before an engine failure ended his campaign after Stage 3.

Harith Noah’s rally ended early following a crash in heavy dust during Stage 1 that required medical attention. Jatin Jain, competing in his second Dakar as a privateer, pushed through early setbacks and remained the last Indian rider in the event before a mechanical failure forced his retirement during Stage 6.