Ricky Brabec played the long game—and it paid off perfectly. By deliberately surrendering the overall lead to Luciano Benavides yesterday, the American wasn’t gambling; he was setting a trap. The move allowed Brabec to start today’s stage six minutes behind his rival, with just 23 seconds separating them overall. For a rider of Brabec’s technical precision, it was the ideal launchpad.
The result? Total domination. Brabec attacked like a man on a mission, erasing the deficit in an instant and stretching his advantage to a commanding 3’43’’. His 13th career stage win—his second of the year—felt inevitable, and tomorrow’s loop around Yanbu might as well be renamed Brabec Boulevard. With one stage left, a third Dakar title is now firmly within reach.
Benavides’ hopes aren’t mathematically extinguished, but the odds are steep. His brother Kevin pulled off a miracle comeback in 2023, but he had only 12 seconds to make up. Luciano faces a far tougher task: starting three minutes behind over a short 105-kilometre finale, during which Brabec can also collect up to 1’23’’ in opening bonuses. To overturn the standings, the KTM rider would need nothing short of a supersonic ride.
Further back, Skyler Howes and Adrien Van Beveren opened the stage but soon faded as the duel up front took center stage. Both Honda riders conceded significant time—24 minutes for Howes, 13 for Van Beveren—yet Howes still climbed to fourth overall thanks to a struggling Daniel Sanders. Hampered by a shoulder injury, the Australian slipped to fifth, with Van Beveren close behind in sixth, eight minutes further back.
In Rally 2, Tony Mulec continued his quietly brilliant campaign. After taking the overall lead yesterday, he extended it today, opening a 6’12’’ gap over Preston Campbell. Mulec’s performance has been a masterclass in understated excellence—precise, efficient, and relentlessly effective.
Meanwhile, Nasser Al Attiyah chose flair over caution. Already comfortably in control of the overall standings, the Qatari could have cruised—but instead went flat-out. Starting 17th on the road, he powered through the 409-kilometre rocky test to claim yet another stage victory, the 50th of his remarkable Dakar career.
That milestone puts Al Attiyah alongside legends Ari Vatanen and Stéphane Peterhansel atop the all-time stage win list in the car category. And with a 15’02’’ cushion over Nani Roma’s Ford Raptor, the Dacia Sandrider pilot is now just 105 kilometres away from a sixth overall Dakar triumph. One final question remains: will he make it 51 stage wins and stand alone at the summit?
The fight for the final podium spot remains wide open. Sébastien Loeb’s second week has been far stronger than his first, lifting him into a precarious third place—knowing full well Mattias Ekström’s ability to strike. The Swede did exactly that today, posting the fourth-fastest time and clawing back 3’24’’. Ekström now holds third overall, but by just 29 seconds.
With Loeb starting nine minutes behind him tomorrow and 105 kilometres to decide it all, the final stage promises one last showdown—where reputations, records, and rally history are still very much on the line.
The RacerViews info
By Matt Hancock
We are passionate, dedicated motorsport professionals.
In 2026 you will see us trackside and stageside with exclusive coverage of
- The World Endurance Championship
- The World Rally Championship
- Belgian Rally Championship
- British GT
- British Rallycross
- and more!
We aim to bring you interviews and photos you won’t see anywhere else. We don’t aim to break the news, rather we aim to bring the voices of the racers to you and the atmosphere of the event to you at home. Our social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube bring you more, a holistic experience. We partner with racers and professionals in the industry and give back where we can. If we can help you or you have a story to share, please contact us.
