P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally saw a record matched by Nasser Al-Attiyah. The man from Qatar is in complete control of the car category.
Nasser Al-Attiyah took a significant step towards his sixth Dakar Rally victory by achieving a record-equalling 50th stage win in the penultimate stage of the 2026 edition.
Prior to the 12th stage, Al-Attiyah held an eight-minute lead over Nani Roma, with Sebastien Loeb and Mattias Ekström trailing by 20 minutes and Carlos Sainz Sr. by nearly 30 minutes.
Al-Attiyah’s dominance in the penultimate stage extended his lead to 15 minutes over Roma, who lost over six minutes to the leader.
In a shift for the final podium spot, Ekström surpassed Loeb in the battle for third place in the official standings.
The final stage of this year’s Dakar Rally, a short 105-kilometer stage from Yanbu to Yanbu, is set for Saturday, where Al-Attiyah could secure a sixth victory and potentially set a new record with a 51st stage win.
The gravel roads along the coast create opportunities for late retirements and errors, adding suspense to the closing stage.
Don’t forget to check out the current overall standings in the car category!
