Results of the third stage of the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026, with Saeedan in the lead
The desert of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia witnessed yesterday (Tuesday) a new chapter of excitement and challenge with the conclusion of the third stage of the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia , the most prominent global event in motorsports, organized by the Saudi Arabian Federation for Automobiles and Motorcycles under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports, which continues until January 17.
Details of Phase Three and Guthrie's Control
The competitors covered a total distance of 736 kilometers during this stage, including a 421-kilometer timed special stage. In the car category, American Mitch Guthrie, driving for Ford Racing, dominated, securing first place with a time of 4 hours, 4 minutes, and 32 seconds. Czech driver Martin Prokop finished second, 2 minutes and 27 seconds behind, while South African Guy Butterell came in third.
In the overall standings, Guthrie snatched the lead with a total time of 11 hours, 27 minutes and 20 seconds, ahead by a narrow margin (26 seconds) of Procup, while Qatari world champion Nasser Al-Attiyah dropped to tenth place with a gap of more than 11 minutes, adding more drama to the race in its coming days.
Saeedan raises the Saudi flag in the Challenger
In a remarkable national achievement, Saudi driver Yasser Bin Saeedan, representing the Nasser Racing team, seized the lead in the overall standings for the lightweight desert vehicle category, the Challenger. Despite finishing second in today's stage behind Dutch driver Bock Klaassen, who clocked a time of 4 hours, 28 minutes, and 25 seconds, the time difference was sufficient to place Bin Saeedan at the top of the overall standings, bolstering Saudi hopes of winning the title in this category.
Rally Legends and other categories
In the Stock car category, veteran Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel, nicknamed "Mr. Dakar," proved his dominance by taking first place. In the motorcycle category, Spaniard Tosha Sharina, riding a Honda Energi, shone, securing first place, while Dutchman Mitchell van den Brink led the truck category.
Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia: Exceptional terrain and challenges
This edition of the Dakar Rally holds special significance as Saudi Arabia continues to host this prestigious event, offering diverse terrain ranging from soft sand dunes and rugged rocky tracks to deep valleys. This unique geographical variety not only tests vehicle speed but also pushes navigational skills and endurance to their limits, further solidifying the Kingdom's position as a major global destination for sporting events, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
Stay tuned for the marathon stage in Al-Ula
All eyes will be on the historic Al-Ula Governorate tomorrow (Wednesday), January 7, 2026, for the start of the fourth stage, the first stage of the marathon. This stage covers a distance of 492 kilometers (417 km timed). The difficulty of the marathon stages lies in the complete ban on external technical support, meaning that competitors must rely solely on themselves to repair and maintain their vehicles. This makes it a crucial turning point that could dramatically alter the overall standings.
