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Issue #10:January 13, 2026
The second half of Dakar Rally 2026 shifted to the vast desert region of southwestern Saudi Arabia. On January 12, Stage 8 featured a 483 km SS (competition section) on a loop course starting and ending at Wadi ad‑Dawasir. Competitors faced a grueling mix of terrain, including dune crossings, gravel off‑road tracks, and rough, rocky sections.
In the Stock class of the 4‑wheel category, the Land Rover Defender #500 lost time due to vehicle trouble, allowing TLC’s crews to move up. Car #501, driven by Akira Miura with Jean‑Michel Polato, finished 113th overall and 3rd in class, while car #503 with Ronald Basso and Julien Menard reached the finish 121st overall and 4th in class. In the cumulative rankings, car #503 maintained its position of 78th overall and 3rd in class, while car #501 is now 136th overall and 5th in class.
The SS was a long 483 km loop course set southwest of the bivouac. With liaisons (transfer sections) before and after, the total distance reached 721 km. Early in the stage, competitors encountered complex dunes, followed by alternating sandy and rocky terrain. The route even passed through rough, boulder‑strewn canyons, resulting in a risky stage that made the competitors feel the true harshness of the Dakar Rally.
After dropping in the rankings due to a day retirement in the first half, car #501 ran behind #503 to provide support in case of trouble. Both vehicles experienced difficulties, including getting stuck in dunes and suffering punctures, but they made it through to the finish. Although #503 arrived first, a 15‑minute penalty for missing a GPS waypoint reversed their positions in the final rankings.
Stage 9 on January 13 will mark the first half of the marathon stage, running from Wadi ad‑Dawasir to Bisha with a 410 km SS. After the finish, crews will stay overnight at “REFUGE,” a basic bivouac reserved for competitors, without mechanic support or spare parts. This 2‑day challenge, combined with the course’s difficulty, is expected to be one of the toughest segments of the rally. At the TLC bivouac, mechanics were fully focused on making final preparations.
(Provisional rankings as of 4:00 AM Japan time on January 13th)
Miura (Driver): The dunes weren’t very difficult, but the dust was severe. In places where the ruts on the hard surface were deep, we couldn’t pick up the pace, and we couldn’t push as hard as we wanted to. In that sense, it was a tough day. We’ll continue supporting car #503 as we proceed.
Basso (Driver): The course was like a full Dakar Rally route, packed with variety. The steering trouble is completely resolved now, so we had a comfortable drive. While it wasn’t exactly high‑speed, there were many fast sections, and the long SS actually felt short.