The traditional annual "Dakar-2026" rally will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 3-17.
Idman.Biz reports that the fourth and ninth stages of the race will be marathon races, meaning that racers will not be able to use mechanics after these stages.
The schedule of the "Dakar-2026" rally race stages is as follows:
January 3, prologue: Yanbu - Yanbu (total length 98 km / special area 23 km). Start: 15:20 Baku time
January 4, 1st stage: Yanbu-Yanbu (518 km / 305 km). Start: 14:25 Baku time
January 5, 2nd stage: Yanbu - Al-Ula (504 km / 400 km). Start: 14:05 Baku time
January 6, 3rd stage: Al-Ula - Al-Ula (666 km / 422 km). Start: 14:40 Baku time
January 7, 4th stage: Al-Ula - Al-Ula (492 km / 417 km). Start: 15:00 Baku time
January 8, 5th stage: Al-Ula - Hail (428 km / 372 km). Start: 14:05 Baku time
January 9, 6th stage: Hail – Riyadh (920 km / 331 km). Start: 13:45 Baku time
January 11, 7th stage: Riyadh – Wadi ad-Dawasir (876 km / 462 km). Start: 14:00 Baku time
January 12, 8th stage: Wadi ad-Dawasir – Wadi ad-Dawasir (717 km / 481 km). Start: 15:05 Baku time
January 13, 9th stage: Wadi ad-Dawasir – Bisha (531 km / 121 km). Start: 13:40 Baku time
January 14, 10th stage: Bisha – Bisha (469 km / 421 km). Start: 13:55 Baku time
January 15, 11th stage: Bisha – Al-Henakiyah (882 km / 347 km). Start: 15:00 Baku time
January 16, 12th stage: Al-Henakiyah – Yanbu (718 km / 310 km). Start: 15:30 Baku time
January 17, 13th stage: Yanbu – Yanbu (141 km / 105 km). Start: 14:10 Baku time