RIYADH — Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah reclaimed the general classification lead of the 2026 Dakar Rally after securing a dominant victory in Stage 6 on Friday, January 9. The win marks a milestone for The Dacia Sandriders, who recorded their first-ever “one-two” finish in the world’s most grueling off-road race.
The 326-kilometer timed special, which transitioned the caravan from Ha’il to the capital city of Riyadh, saw Al-Attiyah finish with a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes, and 29 seconds. He finished 2 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of teammate and nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb. American Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) rounded out the podium in third, trailing by 3 minutes and 19 seconds.
The stage victory allowed Al-Attiyah to overturn a three-minute deficit behind South Africa’s Henk Lategan. Following a difficult day for Lategan in the dunes, Al-Attiyah now holds a 6-minute and 10-second advantage in the overall standings as the rally enters its scheduled rest day.
In the motorcycle category, American Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) clinched the stage win with a time of 3 hours, 41 minutes, and 33 seconds. Despite finishing third on the day, Australian Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) maintained his position at the top of the overall leaderboard. Sanders holds a narrow 45-second lead over Brabec heading into the second week of competition.
According to official data from the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the rally has seen significant attrition, with several high-profile exits including Saudi favorite Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who withdrew on Stage 4 following mechanical complications.
The competitors will observe a rest day in Riyadh on Saturday, January 10, before resuming the competition on Sunday for Stage 7, a trek toward Wadi Ad Dawasir.