Sixth Time Lucky

Nasser Al-Attiyah sealed his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Yanbu on Saturday after a controlled final stage, while Argentina’s Luciano Benavides clinched the bike crown by two seconds in one of the closest finishes in recent memory.

Driving a Dacia, Al-Attiyah entered the final 105km stage with a comfortable buffer and avoided mistakes to finish ninth on the day, enough to secure overall victory by almost 10 minutes over Spain’s Nani Roma in a Ford. Roma’s teammate Mattias Ekstrom won the last stage and completed the overall car podium in third.

The win gave Al-Attiyah his sixth Dakar car title after previous victories in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023. The 55-year-old also brought his career Dakar stage win total to 50 during the rally. Competing with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, he took control of the standings early and stayed clear of late drama.

“We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there. We are so happy to win,” Al-Attiyah said at the finish.

For Romanian manufacturer Dacia, the victory came at only its second Dakar attempt and delivered its first overall win in the event.

Al-Attiyah now sits alone in second place on the all-time Dakar car winners list, moving ahead of Ari Vatanen and Carlos Sainz, who both have four titles. Stephane Peterhansel remains the benchmark with eight car wins.

“This is my sixth victory. I still need to break Peterhansel’s record,” Al-Attiyah said.

Last year’s champion Yazeed Al Rajhi retired earlier in the rally due to mechanical problems.

In the bike category, Benavides secured his first Dakar title after finishing second on the final stage aboard a KTM, edging Honda rider Ricky Brabec by two seconds overall. Brabec, a two-time Dakar winner, lost time near the finish after taking a wrong line.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment my whole life,” Benavides said after the result was confirmed.

Brabec had been on course for a third title before the navigation error in the closing kilometers. Benavides said the opportunity appeared late in the stage and he committed when it mattered.

“Even yesterday it seemed impossible, but I still felt it could happen,” he said. “I saw the opening and I went for it.”

Spain’s Edgar Canet won the final bike stage, while Tosha Schareina finished third on the day and third overall.

The victory added another chapter to the Benavides family history at Dakar, following earlier wins by Luciano’s older brother Kevin.

“Nine years in the Dakar and my first win,” Benavides said. “My brother and I are making history. It’s a dream come true.”