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Dakar 2026 Stage 8 Results: Luciano Benavides & Saood Variawa Win - Benavides & Al-Attiyah Lead
The eighth stage of Dakar 2026 saw KTM's Luciano Benavides take his second win on the trot to top the overall rankings, while Toyota's Saood Variawa outsprinted his rivals at the end to win in the cars category.
The eighth stage of Dakar 2026 saw drivers and riders head into the Saudi Arabian desert in a loop around Wadi Al Dawasir. The 721km long stage features a 483km timed special stage and mostly sandy terrain.
Dakar 2026 Stage 8 Results: Bikes - Benavides Wins Again And Takes Overall Lead
KTM's Luciano Benavides today showed just why he was considered one of the dark horses to win the Dakar this year. The Argentinian today headed into the Saudi Arabian desert first after winning yesterday's stage and gobbled up all the bonuses on offer (seven minutes and 28 seconds worth).
Benavides led the longest special stage of this year's Dakar Rally from start to finish, ending the day with a time of four hours, 26 minutes and 39 seconds as he snatched control of the overall standings from his teammate and rival Daniel Sanders.
The Australian rider, who is the current defending champion in the bikes category, ended the day, four minutes and 50 seconds behind Benavides to claim the second spot. The final spot on the podium was claimed by Honda's 2024 winner Ricky Brabec. The American rider ended the day five minutes and two seconds off the pace set by Benavides.
Fourth place was claimed by Honda's Spanish rider Tosha Schareina. The Spaniard ended the day, nine minutes and 47 seconds behind Benavides. French rider, Adrien Van Beveren, made it three Hondas in the top 5 as he ended the day, 11 minutes and 56 seconds behind the KTM of Benavides.
Ignacio Nacho Cornjeo was the fastest of the Hero riders today. The Chilean rider ended the day in eighth place, 17 minutes and 13 seconds adrift og Brnavides. Ross Branch ended the day in 11th place as the rider from Botswana found himself 20 minutes and 20 seconds behind Benavides after today's looped stage.
Today's victory at Dakar 2026, the third claimed by Luciano Benavides at this year's edition of the world's toughest rally-raid, saw the Argentinian rider claim the overall lead. Benavides leads Dakar 2026 with a time of 33 hours, 18 minutes and 50 seconds.
Benavides currently leads the Dakar by just 10 seconds from his teammate and defending Champion Daniel Sanders. The final podium spot is now held by Honda's Ricky Brabec, the American now four minutes and 47 seconds off the pace set by Benavides.
Honda's Tosha Schareina continues to occupy 4th place in the overall rankings. The Spanish rider is 20 minutes and 13 seconds behind Benavides after Stage 8. Honda's Skyler Howes is fifth overall sits 41 minutes and six seconds behind Benavides.
Hero's Igancio Nacho Cornejo is still in sixth overall after eight rounds of Dakar 2026. The Chilean is 45 minutes and 58 seconds adrift of Benavides. The other Hero rider, Ross Branch, continues to occupy the 8th spot in the overall standings and is now one hour, 55 minutes and two seconds behind Benavides.
Dakar 2026 Stage 8 Results: Cars - Saood Variawa Claims Surprise Win As Al-Attiyah Holds Onto Lead
Stage 8 of Dakar 2026 saw Toyota Gazoo Racing SA's Saood Variawa claim his first win of Dakar 2026. The 20-year-old South African driver, who was the 26th driver to start today's special, was taking time off from his rivals at every checkpoint and when the longest special stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally was over, he had won the stage by just three seconds with a time of four hours, 20 minutes and 35 seconds.
In second place at the end of the special stage of Stage 8 of Dakar 2026 was Toyota's Henk Lategan. The South African trailed his fellow countryman by just three seconds at the end of the day. The final podium spot today was claimed by Ford's Mattias Ekstrom. The Swedish driver ended the day just 29 seconds adrift of the Hilux of Variawa.
American driver Seth Quintero took fourth place in his Toyota Hilux; the American was just 37 seconds off the pace of the stage winner. Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah took 5th place today, ending the day, one minute and 16 seconds behind Variawa.
In the overall rankings, 5-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah continues to lead Dakar 2026 after Stage 8. The Qatari legend with a time of 32 hours, 32 minutes and six seconds, leads Ford's Ekstrom by four minutes. Toyota's Henk Lategan took back third place today and is six minutes and eight seconds behind Al-Attiyah.
Ford Racing's Nani Roma is now in fourth place. The Spaniard currently sits just nine minutes and 37 seconds adrift of Al-Attiyah. His teammate and fellow countryman, Carlos Sainz, is in fifth place. El Matador is 10 minutes and 39 seconds behind Al-Attiyah in the overall standings.
Tomorrow will see competitors head into the desert for the second of the two 48-hour marathon stages. Tomorrow's stage 9, will see riders and drivers take different routes to bivouacs in the desert. They will be once again without their service teams for 48 hours and will cover a total of 541km, including a 418 km-long special with mostly rocky terrain and a beautiful dune crossing. At the end of stage 9, drivers and riders will be in separate rest areas and will be able to help each other to repair their vehicles if needed.
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