The 48th edition of the Dakar Rally, the world’s most demanding off-road endurance race, is unfolding across the sweeping deserts and rugged terrain of Saudi Arabia.
The Dakar Rally started on the 3rd of January and is making it’s way from the Red Sea coast in Yanbu, covering 8 000km loop of challenging landscape, to finish back in Yanbu on Saturday.
Here we bring you some photographic highlights from the ultimate rally-raid.
Argentinian rider Luciano Benavides competes with a Ktm 450 Rally Factory in Stage 9, a marathon stage, during the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026 between Wadi ad-Dawasir and Bisha in Saudi Arabia on January 13, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Ford Racing’s Spanish driver Carlos Sainz inspects his car at the end of the Stage 9, a marathon stage, of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, between Wadi ad-Dawasir and Bisha, Saudi Arabia, on January 13, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergkvist in action during the Stage 9 of the Dakar 2026, on January 13, 2026 between Wadi Ad-Dawasir and Bivouac Refuge, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Florent Gooden / DPPI via AFPSebastien Loeb and Edouard Boelanger in action during the Stage 7 of the Dakar 2026, on January 11, 2026 between Riyadh and Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Florent Gooden / DPPI via AFPGert Huzink, Hugo Kupper and Mario Kress in action during the Stage 9 of the Dakar 2026, on January 13, 2026 between Wadi Ad-Dawasir and Bivouac Refuge, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI via AFPCamels run away as Toyota Gazoo Racing W2rc’s South African driver Henk Lategan and South African co-pilot Brett Cummings compete in the Stage 5 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, between Al-Ula and Hail, Saudi Arabia, on January 8, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Guillaume Jaunin in action during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2026, on January 12, 2026 around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Antonin Vincent / DPPI via AFPThe Dacia Sandriders’s French driver Sebastien Loeb and French co-pilot Edouard Boulanger take part in repairing their car at the end of the Stage 9, a marathon stage, of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, between Wadi ad-Dawasir and Bisha, Saudi Arabia, on January 13, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Md Rallye Sport’s French driver Simon Vitse and French co-pilot Max Delfino compete in the Stage 6 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 9, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Dutch rider Ian Olthof competes with a Honda Crf 450 in the Stage 6 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, between Hail and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 9, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)Neels Theric in action during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2026, on January 12, 2026 around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Antonin Vincent / DPPI via AFP
