Dakar Rally 2026 Results: Dacia’s Historic Victory, Defender’s Debut, and the 2 Seconds That Changed Everything

Contents

• Dakar 2026 by the Numbers: Statistics and Historical Shifts
• Ukrainian Engineer and the Canadian Ford Bronco
• Heroism and Curiosities: When Machines Fail, but Humans Don't
• 3 Key Takeaways for Preparing Your Car from Dakar 2026
• 1. Unit Protection is the Foundation
• 2. Suspension Determines the Expedition's Fate
• 3. Self-Rescue Autonomy
• Dakar 2026 Winners in Key Classes
• Finish Line

The 48th Dakar Rally, which thundered through the deserts of Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 17, has already been dubbed the "race of millimeters." Over 8,000 kilometers of the route from Yanbu to Bisha and back became not just a test of metal, but also the stage for some of the most dramatic finishes in motorsport history.

The Vnedorognik.ua team closely followed the events not just for the thrill. We analyzed how vehicles behave in extreme conditions to form the right conclusions for preparing your SUVs. What did this Dakar race show? Let's look at the facts and figures.

Dakar 2026 by the Numbers: Statistics and Historical Shifts

This year's marathon broke stereotypes about the hegemony of old brands.

Dacia Rewrites History: The main sensation of the year is the victory claimed by Nasser Al-Attiyah in the Ultimate class. This is the first title for the Dacia brand at Dakar. The Qatari won his sixth "Golden Bedouin," proving that the new Dacia Sandrider prototype (essentially a refined Prodrive Hunter without the problematic wheel covers) is more reliable than the technological monsters from Audi and the fast but less stable Ford Raptors.

Defender's Triumphant Debut: A revolution occurred in the Stock class (production cars). For the first time, a factory Defender team entered the race and immediately claimed victory, interrupting the long-standing dominance of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška finished nearly 4 hours ahead of his closest pursuer (also on a Defender).

2 Seconds: This was the exact gap that decided the fate of the gold in the Dakar motorcycle class. Argentine Luciano Benavides (KTM) snatched victory from Ricky Brabec (Honda) in the final kilometers. This is the tightest finish in the history of rally raids.

Finishers: Out of 317 crews, 247 vehicles reached the finish line in Yanbu, indicating an extremely high pace of the race.

Ukrainian Engineer and the Canadian Ford Bronco

Among interesting background events, it is worth noting the finish of the first-ever Canadian team on a Ford Bronco Raptor (59th place). Technical support for this practically stock car was provided by Ukrainian rally engineer Mykhailo Onufriichuk. The SUV received only the mandatory safety cage and special off-road wheels. The fact that an almost stock car covered the entire distance is an excellent indicator of reliability and correct component preparation.

Heroism and Curiosities: When Machines Fail, but Humans Don't

These Dakar races will be remembered not only for victories but also for the non-standard solutions of pilots in desperate situations.

Thermal Underwear Instead of a Tire. Motorcyclist Skyler Howes showed true ingenuity. On Stage 5, due to the heat, the mousse (filler) in his wheel melted. To reach the finish line, he cut the sleeves off his thermal underwear and stuffed the tire with them. This allowed him to finish, albeit with a loss of time.

The Benavides Family Business. For the first time in history, brothers won stages on the same day in different classes: Luciano won on a motorcycle, and his brother Kevin Benavides won a stage in the Challenger car class.

3 Key Takeaways for Preparing Your Car from Dakar 2026

Analyzing technical reports and problems encountered even by top crews (such as Dakar motorcycle riders or truck pilots), we formulated three golden rules for SUV preparation. These principles are relevant for both the desert and the Ukrainian forest.

1. Unit Protection is the Foundation

The rocky sections around Al-Ula took out more machinery than the sands. Punched crankcases and damaged radiators stopped even the leaders.

Conclusions for Civil Off-Roading: Factory plastic doesn't work. If you leave the asphalt, the first step should be installing full Skid Plates. Steel or aluminum covers vulnerable units (engine, gearbox, transfer case) from impacts. Off-Road Bumpers are also critically important, as they withstand impacts and allow the use of a hi-lift jack.

2. Suspension Determines the Expedition's Fate

Production cars (even cool ones like the Bronco) require chassis modifications. Marathon stages showed that standard shock absorbers overheat and lose efficiency after just an hour of active driving on bumps.

Conclusions for Civil Off-Roading: For stability and endurance, it is worth installing professional Suspension Kits. Reinforced springs and shock absorbers with a large oil volume provide energy capacity and do not "bottom out" under the weight of a fully loaded car.

3. Self-Rescue Autonomy

Even at Dakar, where support helicopters are available, crews waited hours for help if they couldn't get out themselves. In real life, help may not come at all.

Conclusions for Civil Off-Roading: There should always be a self-rescue kit in the trunk.

• Rigging: Kinetic straps and shackles are the minimum.
• Hi-Lift Jacks: Allow you to lift the car out of a deep rut or move it off an obstacle. This is a universal tool that replaces a team of mechanics in the forest.

Dakar 2026 Winners in Key Classes

Finish Line

Dakar 2026 proved that there are no trifles in motorsport. 2 seconds can separate the winner from the loser, and one reliable component can separate the finish from retirement.

The triumph of the stock Land Rover Defender in the Stock class and the successful finish of the Canadians on the Ford Bronco are inspiring: even a standard car can traverse the toughest route on the planet if it is properly prepared. Vnedorognik.ua experts are ready to apply this experience to prepare your vehicle for any challenges — from a fishing trip to a real expedition for the Dakar Cup.

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