A succesful gamble for Brabec
Dakar 2026 |
Stage 12 |
AL HENAKIYAH
> YANBU
January 16
th
2026
- 16:16
[GMT + 3]
- His plan worked. Yesterday, Ricky Brabec deliberately gave up the lead in the overall rankings to Luciano Benavides. It was not a crazy move but simply a strategic one, allowing Brabec to start six minutes behind his rival this morning, with the gap in the overall rankings limited to 23 seconds. With the American's technical mastery, this was actually the safest way to secure a comfortable lead before the final stage, making it possible to rechristen tomorrow's loop around Yanbu ‘Brabec Boulevard’. And that is exactly what happened: with his 13th stage victory and his second this year, the Honda rider not only swallowed up the 23 seconds in question like a shot of Monster energy drink but increased his lead to 3'43’’ over Benavides, meaning a third title is in sight for Ricky.
- The possibility of Luciano Benavides making a comeback on the final stage cannot be ruled out entirely. His brother Kevin achieved this feat in 2023 but at the time he was only 12 seconds behind Toby Price. Tomorrow, the Argentinean will start 3 minutes behind the new leader, but he will only have 105 kilometres available in which to catch up, a distance during which Brabec will pocket opener’s bonuses (up to 1'23’’ in total). The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider would therefore need to be supersonic to overturn the overall rankings in his favour.
- Skyler Howes and Adrien Van Beveren opened the way this morning but soon let the duellists battle it out at the front. The two Honda riders were clocked at over 24 and 13 minutes down respectively. The American slowing down did not prevent him from climbing one place in the rankings (to 4th), benefiting from Sanders' poor form, due to suffering from a shoulder injury, with the Australian now finding himself in 5th. The Frenchman is immediately behind Sanders, in 6th place, trailing by eight minutes.
- In the Rally 2 class, Tony Mulec took the overall lead yesterday and increased it further today to distance Preston Campbell by 6’12’’.
- He is one of those masters of their art who are discrete but have no equal when it comes to accomplishing their feats with panache. In order to arrive in Yanbu with the status of virtually unbeatable winner, Nasser Al Attiyah went all-out when a more measured approach would have been perfectly adequate. After being the 17th driver to start the special, the overall rankings leader (with an advantage of 8’ over Nani Roma) knew that he had a chance to improve his statistics. On completion of the 311 kilometres through the rocks and stones, the Qatari let his driving skill do the talking to add another stage victory to his roll of honour, no less than his 50th!
- In very different circumstances, Al Attiyah has joined Ari Vatanen and Stéphane Peterhansel as joint record holders for stage wins in the car category and, in his Dacia Sandrider, is now heading for a sixth overall triumph, which is just 105 kilometres away. Before this final parade (and why not a 51st stage win to surpass the other two giants?), he has now distanced Nani Roma's Ford Raptor by 15'02’’, while the final occupant of the third step on the podium will be decided tomorrow between the two brands that have dominated the very end to the rally.
- Sébastien Loeb has enjoyed a second week of the rally that was more constructive than the first, to climb yesterday evening into a fragile third place, in light of Mattias Ekstrom’s skill when he decides to go on the offensive. And that is exactly what he did this morning! The Swede achieved the day’s 4th best time (behind Al Attiyah, Guthrie and Price) and especially gained 3’24’’ over his rival. Now Ekstrom finds himself in 3rd place at the wheel of his Ford Raptor but the battle is far from over. The Swedish driver will have to hang on during 105 km to his 29-second lead, while the French driver, who has never finished a Dakar anywhere else than on the podium, will start 9 minutes after him.
