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Dakar 2026 Stage 5 Results: Luciano Benavides & Mitch Guthrie Win - Sanders & Lategan Lead
The fifth stage of Dakar 2026 saw KTM's Luciano Benavides take his first stage win at this year's edition of the world's toughest rally-raid. In the cars category, Ford's Mitch Guthrie roared back into contention by taking his second stage win of Dakar 2026.
The fifth stage of Dakar 2026 saw drivers and riders head into the second half of the 48-hour marathon section as they raced from yesterday night's biouvac to the city of Hail. While riders faced a 356km timed special stage, drivers drove over a separate 371km route to the finish line near Hail
Dakar 2026 Stage 5 Results: Bikes - Benavides Wins As Sanders Regains Lead
Stage 5 in the bikes category of Dakar 2026 saw KTM's Luciano Benavides take his first win of this year's race. The rider from Argentina finished today's special stage with a time of 04 hours, five minutes and 16 minutes as he raced up the overall rankings.
Stage 5 saw a first podium finish for India's Hero Motorsports. The team's Chilean rider Ignacio "Nacho" Cornejo ended the day just two minutes and two seconds behind the KTM of Benavides.
The final podium spot today was claimed by the defending Dakar champion, Daniel Sanders. The Aussie rider, known by his nickname of "Chucky", ended the day five minutes and 50 seconds behind his KTM teammate from Argentina.
Fourth place today was claimed by Sherco Rally Factory Team's South African rider Bradley Cox. The lone remaining Sherco rider at Dakar 2026 ended the day seven minutes and 22 seconds behind Benavides.
Honda's Ricky Brabec rounded off the top 5, ending Stage 5 with a time of four hours,14 minutes and 32 seconds. Brabec was nine minutes and 16 seconds adrift of today's winner, Benavides.
The other Hero rider, Ross Branch, ended the day in 48th place, one hour 17 minutes and eight seconds behind Benavides. Branch had hit a rock yesterday, which had damaged the foam in his wheel. This foam started breaking up as he started racing today, which in the end him cost him a massive chunk of time.
In the overall standings after Stage 5, defending champion Daniel Sanders leads Dakar 2026 with a time of 20 hours, 58 minutes and 10 seconds. The Aussie KTM rider is currently two minutes and two seconds ahead of Honda's American rider Ricky Brabec. Today's winner, Luciano Benavides, currently holds third place in the overall standings, five minutes and 55 seconds behind his Aussie teammate.
Fourth place in the overall standings is occupied by stage 3 and 4 winner, Tosha Schareina. The Spaniard failed to pass through the start flags as required by regulations, triggering a heavy 10-minute time penalty. The penalty dropped him from second to fourth place overall, leaving him 11 minutes and 59 seconds behind race leader Daniel Sanders.
Chilean Ignacio Cornejo was the highest-ranked Hero Motosports rider after five stages. Cornejo is currently 18 minutes and 38 seconds behind Sanders. Ross Branch, thanks to his disastrous day on the road today. The rider from Botswana now sits one hour, 23 minutes and 53 seconds behind Sanders.
Dakar 2026 Stage 5 Results: Cars - Guthrie Wins Again As Lategan Continues To Lead
Stage 5 of Dakar 2026 saw Ford's Mitch Guthrie storm to victory in the second half of the 48-hour marathon double stage. Guthrie blasted his way across the sands, ending the special stage with a time of three hours, 54 minutes and 46 seconds.
Guthrie was followed across the line by his Ford Racing teammate Nani Roma. The Spanish driver was the fastest across the line, but got hit with a one-minute and 10-second time penalty. Roma ended the day one minute and six seconds behind his American teammate.
The final podium spot was claimed by yet another competitor driving a Ford Raptor, as Czech Privateer Martin Prokop ended the stage two minutes and 14 seconds behind Guthrie. Fourth place today was claimed by Dacia's Lucas Moraes, with the Brazilian driver ending the day three minutes and 38 seconds behind Guthrie. The fifth spot was taken by Ford's Mattias Ekstrom. The Swedish driver ended the day five minutes and 21 seconds behind his American teammate as four of the top 5 drivers today were driving a Ford Raptor.
In the overall standings for the cars category at Dakar 2026, yesterday's winner, Toyota's Henk Lategan, continues to lead the world's toughest rally-raid with a time of 20 hours, 26 minutes and 44 seconds.
Lategan's lead over Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah has now shrunk to three minutes and 17 seconds. Sweden's Mattias Ekstrom continues to hold third place. The Swede is now five minutes and 38 seconds, down from the 13 minutes he was behind Lategan yesterday.
Today's winner Nani Roma is in 4th place overall and sits six minutes and 59 seconds behind Lategan. Ford's Carlos Sainz still occupies 5th place in the overall rankings. El Matador is eight minutes and 33 seconds off the pace set by Lategan.
Tomorrow will be the last stage of the first week of Dakar 2026 as the world's toughest rally-raid heads to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. Tomorrow's 920km stage features an early start and a 331km long timed special stage. Stage 6 will see competitors finally hit the big sand dunes as they travel through the Qassim region, a popular gathering place for Saudi off-road enthusiasts.
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