P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Isle of Man TT racer James Hillier has been forced to retire from the 2026 Dakar Rally with injury.
Isle of Man TT winner James Hillier retired from the 2026 Dakar Rally after the first stage due to injury. Hillier, a road racing regular, was competing in Saudi Arabia for the third time in this year’s rally. He finished 52nd in the Prologue and 59th in Stage 1 standings before crashing after 250km. Hillier hurt his arm, leading to the discovery of a fracture, forcing him to withdraw. Despite his early exit, Hillier’s previous Dakar attempts were marked by injuries with finishes both in 2023 and 2025. The latest standings see Edgar Canet and defending champion Daniel Sanders leading in different categories after the early stages.
