Yanbu, Saudi Arabia – Saudi rally star Yazeed Al Rajhi is gearing up to take on the challenge of the Dakar Rally 2026 with strong determination and high ambition, as he prepares to defend his historic title won in the 2025 edition. That landmark victory crowned Al Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in the world’s toughest rally.

Al Rajhi confirmed his full readiness to fight for the title once again, emphasizing that the car is fully prepared and that the team is operating with high motivation, focus, and confidence. He also highlighted the complete readiness of his co-driver, Timo Gottschalk, as part of a united team effort aimed at repeating success and further strengthening Saudi Arabia’s presence on the global motorsport stage.

The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from January 3 to 17, will cover 7,994 kilometers, with 4,840` kilometers of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.

In parallel, Al Rajhi expressed his strong ambition to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, underlining his consistency at the highest level. Al Rajhi stressed that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship, adding further significance to the event.

This comprehensive preparation confirms that Al Rajhi enters the 2026 season with a champion’s confidence—focused on defending his Dakar crown while simultaneously targeting the top step of the W2RC podium—continuing to write new chapters in Saudi Arabia’s motorsport achievements.

Al Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but emphasized that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship. With Dakar starting and finishing in Yanbu, Al Rajhi will compete on home soil, driven by unwavering ambition and a deep desire to keep the Saudi flag flying high on the world’s most prestigious podiums.

Yazeed Al Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”

He added, “Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally. We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”

In closing, Al Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support, emphasizing that this backing has been one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.

For his part, Timo Gottschalk said, “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”