Skyler Howes has always had a flair for the dramatic—something that extends well beyond his signature curled moustache and cowboy hat. Since making his Dakar debut, the Californian has rarely been far from the spotlight, even if victory had long eluded him. That wait finally ended on his eighth participation, as he claimed his maiden stage win to become the ninth American rider to conquer a Dakar special.
Stage 11, running to Al Henakiyah, was perfectly suited to Howes’ strengths. The terrain echoed the fast, open landscapes he has mastered in events such as the Vegas to Reno and the Sonora Rally, allowing him to deliver a commanding performance. While this victory will not improve on his best overall Dakar result—third place in 2023—Howes is firmly on course to finish just shy of the podium, a testament to his consistency and perseverance.
Elsewhere, Honda orchestrated a bold and calculated strategy in its bid to deliver Ricky Brabec a third Dakar crown. That plan began with the deliberate sacrifice of the overall lead. Adrien Van Beveren, opening the stage, cleverly waited for his American teammate after refuelling so they could share the valuable opener’s bonus points. Brabec then added another layer of tactical nuance late in the stage, deliberately easing off to secure a more favourable starting position for tomorrow—slotting in behind chief rival Luciano Benavides, even at the cost of relinquishing the lead. It was a high-stakes poker move, one that underlines Honda’s appetite for risk and ensures maximum suspense heading into the finale.
For KTM, the situation is far more precarious. Luciano Benavides now leads the rally overall, but by a razor-thin margin of just 23 seconds. Worse still, he will be forced to open tomorrow’s decisive stage with Brabec starting just six minutes behind him—a scenario that places enormous pressure on the Argentine.
Daniel Sanders’ condition provided some reassurance after yesterday’s shoulder injury, as the Australian managed to complete the stage. However, a modest 13th-fastest time means he will be unable to support Benavides tactically. That responsibility may fall instead to Edgar Canet, whose strong third-place finish today will see him start three minutes ahead of the KTM leader.
Ekström on the Charge, Al Attiyah in Control
The day’s route, faster and less sand-heavy than the previous stage, favoured drivers hunting for stage wins rather than those managing overall positions. With early starters at a disadvantage, the spotlight fell on those further down the order—and Mattias Ekström seized the opportunity in style.
The Swede posted the fastest time to claim the eighth Dakar stage win of his career and his third of this edition. He edged out fellow Ford Raptor driver Romain Dumas by 1’22’’, denying the Frenchman a maiden Dakar stage victory but still delivering Dumas his best-ever result on his ninth attempt.
At the sharp end of the overall classification, Nasser Al Attiyah continues to assert control. Starting the day in Bisha with a 12-minute cushion over Henk Lategan, the Dacia Sandriders leader adopted a measured, disciplined approach—one that paid off handsomely. After 346 kilometres, Al Attiyah discovered that fortune had smiled on him, and decidedly not on his closest rival.
Lategan’s Dakar unravelled after 140 kilometres when a bearing failure on his rear-left wheel forced lengthy repairs. The setback effectively ended his hopes of a podium finish at Dakar 2026, adding another cruel chapter to an already troubled campaign.
Nani Roma emerged as the principal beneficiary of Lategan’s misfortune, climbing onto the podium. However, the Catalan now trails Al Attiyah by 8’40’’—a significant gap that will be difficult to close without a dramatic twist of fate. Roma must also weigh his approach carefully, with Sébastien Loeb lurking just ten minutes behind. The Frenchman is more than capable of launching an all-out attack in pursuit of a second-place finish, which would mark his fourth Dakar podium and potentially secure a one-two result for Dacia over the rally’s final two days.
Just How Many Black Cats Has Lategan Seen?
Henk Lategan may have thought he had exhausted his share of misfortune after being towed to the finish line yesterday by teammate Toby Price. A power steering failure, a roadside repair, and running out of fuel near the end of the stage already seemed excessive. “I don’t know what to say anymore,” he admitted in frustration. “Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. I have amazing teammates and a fantastic car, but no luck.”
Remarkably, despite all this, Lategan still began today in second place overall, 12 minutes behind Al Attiyah. But fate was not done with Toyota Hilux number 202. A broken bolt on the left rear wheel triggered yet another lengthy repair, leaving Lategan to finish the stage four hours behind the winner. When luck turns its back, it does so completely.
The South African will continue on to Yanbu, but his focus now shifts firmly to Abu Dhabi and the remainder of the World Championship season. With valuable points still on offer, every performance counts for the man who finished third overall in 2025. Perhaps, though, a thorough inspection of the car is in order—just to ensure there isn’t a black cat along for the ride.
Dumas Delivers
Romain Dumas’ résumé needs little introduction: three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner, World Endurance Champion, and five-time Pikes Peak victor. Yet his second-place finish today—just 1’22’’ behind Ekström—felt like a personal triumph after weeks spent battling dust and frustration on his ninth Dakar attempt.
“Doing the Dakar once every two years isn’t easy—the level is incredibly high,” Dumas reflected. “But over the last few days, we’ve shown we’re among the fastest. We’ve been well placed without quite capitalising, and today was the same. But we’ll try again tomorrow.”
Called up by Ford Racing last September and deployed to Yanbu weeks later in a Ford Raptor wearing his own colours, Dumas accepted what he described as “an offer you can’t refuse.” Having previously finished fifth on a stage five times, today marked his best-ever Dakar result—and perhaps the beginning of a new chapter.
Registered by Ford Racing for the World Championship alongside the brand’s four official entries, Dumas’ performance may yet influence plans for 2026. On this evidence, the balance may finally be tipping in his favour.
The RacerViews info
By Matt Hancock
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