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Issue #6:January 9, 2026
Stage 5 on January 8 marked Day 2 of the Marathon Stage in the first half of the Dakar. Competitors tackled a 371 km SS (competition section) running from the dedicated “REFUGE” marathon bivouac northeast of AlUla to the city of Ha’il in northern Saudi Arabia. Continuing from the previous day, the stage featured sandy terrain mixed with rocky sections. Car #503 with Ronald Basso and Julien Menard suffered two punctures, but had a good run, reaching the finish in 103rd place overall among the 4‑wheel vehicles and 4th in the Stock class.
However, car #501 with Akira Miura and Jean‑Michel Polato came to a stop near the 156 km point due to drivetrain trouble. As on‑site repairs proved too difficult, the team decided on a “Day Retirement” and withdrew from the day’s competition. The vehicle was then towed to Ha’il by the assistance truck. Under the current Dakar Rally regulations, teams may declare a “Day Retirement,” allowing them to re-start the rally the following day even after withdrawing due to trouble. Car #501 will continue in the rally in accordance with this rule. The vehicle arrived at the TLC bivouac around 5:00 p.m., where mechanics immediately began repair work.
Meanwhile, Stéphane Peterhansel and Michaël Metge in the Land Rover Defender (car #500), finished the day 2nd in the Stock class SS ranking, allowing them to overtake car #503 in the cumulative rankings. Car #500 now sits 66th overall and 2nd in the class, while Car #503 has slipped to 75th overall and 3rd in the class.
Stage 6 will be held on January 9; it is the final stage of the first half of the rally. Competitors will head toward the capital city of Riyadh on a 326 km SS.
(Provisional rankings as of 2:30 AM Japan time)
Miura (driver): We’d been running smoothly without pushing too hard when the trouble suddenly hit. It’s a pity, but continuing in the rally is very important. By doing so, we can support Ronald and the rest of the team, and our experience will greatly contribute to the development of future vehicles. Both Jean‑Michel and I are in good shape.
Basso (driver): The first half of today’s stage was very rocky, and we had two punctures, so it was tough. But in the second half, we were out on sandy pistes and had a comfortable run. I’m satisfied that we’ve cleared the Marathon Stage in the first half of the rally without any problems. In tomorrow’s SS, the first dunes of the rally are set to make an appearance, and I can’t wait!