P1racenews AI automatic summary:
KTM remains in control of the 2026 Dakar Rally after Stage 8 but Luciano Benavides now leads the rally.
In the 2026 Dakar Rally, the leadership of the RallyGP category has shifted hands, with Luciano Benavides claiming the lead after Stage 8, securing his third stage win.
Benavides, representing Red Bull KTM, holds a 10-second advantage over teammate Daniel Sanders, who is currently in second place overall.
Ricky Brabec maintains his third position, trailing Benavides by 4’47’’, while the consistent performances of the KTM riders have been noteworthy in this year’s rally.
Toscha Schareina is in fourth place after being fourth-fastest in Stage 8, still over 20 minutes behind the leader due to a penalty picked up earlier.
Adrien van Beveren, in seventh place, continues to display strong performances, as the Ultimate class remains largely unchanged with Nasser Al-Attiyah leading Mattias Ekstrom by four minutes.
