- Stage 6 covers around 326 kilometers of special stage, almost exclusively in sand
- Time penalty for Daniel Sanders for exceeding the speed limit
- Only 45 seconds separate Sanders and Brabec in the overall standings
After six of a total of 13 stages, the 2026 Dakar Rally reaches its rest day. The longest stage of the event so far led from Ha’il to Riyadh and placed the highest demands on drivers and equipment with deep sand, long distances, and complex navigation.
Stage 6: Sand, navigation, and a costly mistake
The sixth stage of the Dakar Rally was considered the toughest day of the rally so far. Covering a total distance of over 900 kilometers, more than 320 kilometers of which were timed, it led almost entirely through the dunes of the Qassim region. Navigating in the open sand was particularly demanding in terms of strength and concentration.
Daniel Sanders controlled the action confidently for a long time. The Australian took the lead early on, overtaking several competitors and initially reaching the finish line with the best time. However, the KTM rider exceeded the speed limit in a speed limit zone and was subsequently given a six-minute time penalty. This dropped Sanders back to third place in the day’s standings.
Ricky Brabec seizes the opportunity
Ricky Brabec benefited from the penalty, celebrating his first stage victory at the 2026 Dakar. The Honda rider performed consistently throughout the day and avoided any major problems. Although sand and dunes are not considered his greatest strength, Brabec remained error-free and picked up where others lost time.
After the stage, Brabec said that the day had been extremely physically demanding, but that he was satisfied with the result. The key, he said, was to stay within striking distance of the leaders and approach the second half of the race tactically.
Sanders still ahead at the halfway point
Despite missing out on the stage victory, Daniel Sanders remains the overall leader in the RallyGP standings. However, his lead has melted away significantly and is now only 45 seconds ahead of Brabec after stage 6. Sanders spoke of an emotionally difficult day and admitted that several small mistakes had added up in the first week.
Behind the leading duo are Luciano Benavides and Tosha Schareina, who are already well behind but still have realistic chances of podium places. The overall standings therefore remain open, especially with the long stages of the second week still to come.
Strong Honda presence in the top five
Honda placed four riders in the top five on stage 6. In addition to Brabec, Tosha Schareina, Skyler Howes, and Adrien Van Beveren also put in impressive performances. Schareina was able to make up ground after a time penalty the previous day and remains in fourth place in the overall standings. Howes and Van Beveren took advantage of the sandy stage to move closer to the top again.
Rally2: Campbell continues to lead, Docherty wins the stage
In the Rally2 category, Michael Docherty won the sixth stage, while Preston Campbell defended his overall lead. The American is competing in his first Dakar Rally and once again showed consistency. Teammate Martim Ventura finished the day just a few seconds behind Campbell and continued to improve in the overall standings.
Outlook for week two
After a rest day in Riyadh, the 2026 Dakar Rally will start with another extremely long stage towards Wadi Ad Dawasir. The gaps at the top are minimal, so tactical decisions and flawless driving will now become even more important. At the halfway point, no preliminary decision has been made in either the battle for overall victory or in the class standings.
