- KTM leads RallyGP standings after stage 8 with a one-two finish
- Luciano Benavides takes overall lead with a 10-second advantage
- Ricky Brabec remains the best Honda rider, but is becoming increasingly frustrated
After the rest day and the start of the decisive second week of the Dakar, one thing is clear: the 2026 rally is increasingly turning into an internal KTM affair. While Honda is broadly positioned with four RallyGP factory riders and additional Rally2 support, KTM controls both the pace and the overall standings after stage 8.
Stage 8 as the turning point of the 2026 Dakar
The eighth stage around Wadi ad-Dawasir was the longest single stage of the rally to date, with a 483-kilometer special. Fast tracks, extensive dune fields, technical passages in valleys, and strong winds demanded concentration and navigational skills for many hours. It was precisely this combination that played into KTM’s hands.
Luciano Benavides started the stage as the previous day’s winner and led the entire distance. Despite the difficult conditions, the Argentinean did not let himself be caught, collected valuable time credits, and continuously extended his lead in the daily classification.
Benavides takes advantage of bonus time and takes the overall lead
At the end of the stage, Benavides secured his second consecutive stage victory. With a riding time of 4:26:39 hours, he gained 4:50 minutes on teammate Daniel Sanders and 5:02 minutes on Ricky Brabec. However, more decisive than the stage victory was the effect on the overall standings.
Thanks to a total time credit of 7:28 minutes, the 30-year-old took the overall lead for the first time in the 2026 Dakar. After eight of 13 stages, Benavides now leads Sanders by just 10 seconds.
“I attacked from start to finish and felt great doing it. The strong wind in the last section made navigation extremely difficult, but overall it was a very good day,” Benavides explained after the stage.
Honda under pressure despite good individual results
From Honda’s point of view, stage 8 was a mixed bag. Ricky Brabec made the most of his tenth place on the grid, setting the fastest times at the checkpoints for a long time and building up a lead of more than two minutes over Sanders. However, KTM’s bonus time strategy wiped out this advantage.
Brabec finished the stage in third place and also dropped to third in the overall standings. He is now 4:47 minutes behind the leader. The American was satisfied with his riding performance, but was clearly shaken emotionally.
“I didn’t make any mistakes and rode as fast as I could, but our best is not good enough at the moment. It almost seems as if they know things about some stages that we don’t know,” said Brabec.
Tosha Schareina was also unable to keep up. Despite finishing fourth on the stage, the Spaniard is already more than 20 minutes behind and is unlikely to be in contention for the overall victory. Adrien van Beveren and Skyler Howes achieved solid top-six results but lost further ground in the overall standings.
KTM with tactical advantage in the second week of the Dakar
While Honda is focusing on consistency, KTM seems to be making the most of the stage characteristics in the second week. Fast stages with comparatively easy navigation suit the KTM trio. Benavides and Sanders also benefit specifically from the time bonuses for stage starters.
Despite losing the overall lead, Daniel Sanders was satisfied with his performance. “Starting from fourth place was difficult. If there are no mistakes at the front, it’s almost impossible to make up time,” explained the Australian.
Behind the KTM one-two, rookie Edgar Canet once again delivered a consistent performance in seventh place, despite minor navigation errors costing him time.
Rally2: Ventura strong, Campbell remains overall leader
In the Rally2 category, the stage victory went to Neels Theric, who celebrated his third stage win at the 2026 Dakar. Martim Ventura missed out on victory on his Honda by just 15 seconds, but once again made up places and now lies fifth in the overall standings.
Preston Campbell confidently defended his overall lead with fourth place. Despite losing 3:31 minutes to the stage winner, his lead over Toni Mulec remains 9:36 minutes.
Looking ahead: Marathon stage as the next hurdle
Stage 9 marks the start of the second marathon stage of the rally. Covering a total of 541 kilometers, 418 of which are special stages, tire management and material conservation will once again be crucial. External assistance is not permitted, which can make tactical errors particularly costly.
As things stand, only Luciano Benavides, Daniel Sanders, and Ricky Brabec are realistic contenders for the overall victory. The coming days will likely decide whether Honda can strike back once again or whether KTM will control the race to its next Dakar triumph.
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