JEDDAH: As the Dakar Rally returns for a seventh year to Saudi Arabia next week, what began in 2020 with a handful of local entrants from the host country among the international stars has evolved into a confident and sizable national presence at one of the toughest events in motor sports.

Saudis are set to play a central role as the competitors cruise through the country from Jan. 3 to 17, with no fewer than 25 drivers and co-drivers from the Kingdom taking part this year, including 10 graduates of the Saudi Next Gen program.

Much of the spotlight inevitably will fall on defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi, and established competitors such as Dania Akeel and Yasser Seaidan, but they are joined by an impressive roster of emerging talent.

Established Saudi stars

The Saudi contingent is led by Al-Rajhi, who returns for his 12th Dakar as the reigning champion after a landmark victory 12 months ago. Other successes at major international rally-raid events — including wins at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Rallye du Maroc and Desafio Ruta 40 — have firmly established his place among the elite in the “Ultimate” category.

“Winning the 2025 Dakar Rally was only the beginning,” Al-Rajhi said. “I am preparing for Dakar 2026 with full determination and focus. I will fight stage-by-stage. The car is ready, the team is ready and the ambition has no limits.”

In the “Challenger” category, Akeel continues to set the benchmark ahead of her fifth Dakar. She has earned a reputation for consistency, highlighted by an eighth-place T3 finish at Dakar 2022, and the FIA T3 Baja World Cup title in 2021.

Partnering once again with navigator Sebastien Delaunay, Akeel will compete in the Taurus by BBR Motorsport as she targets a podium finish.

Strength and depth across categories

Beyond the headline names, the Saudi presence at Dakar is underpinned by a selection of other experienced competitors. Yasir Seaidan is lining up for his ninth Dakar, after finishing third in the SSV category at the event in 2024 and securing the World Rally-Raid Championship SSV title the same year.

Saleh Al-Saif adds further depth to the SSV class, with six Dakar appearances under his belt, including a sixth-place finish in 2024, along with two Jordan Baja victories.

The Saudi representation extends to other categories. Tariq Al-Rammah will compete in the T5.2 Truck class for the fifth time, while Ibrahim Al-Muhanna will make his seventh Dakar appearance in the Classic Truck category, following a third-place Stock finish in 2024.

Ahmed Al-Jaber, Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera and Badr Al-Hamdan will represent the Kingdom in the motorcycle category.

The next generation

A defining feature of Dakar 2026 is likely to be the emergence of fresh talent from structured national pathways of development. Several graduates of the Saudi Next Gen program, for example, will make their Dakar debuts, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing focus on long-term development of talent.

Hamza Bakhashab lines up at the event after a standout season that included victories at the 2025 Saudi Baja – Hail and the Jordan Baja, a debut at WRC Rally Saudi Arabia 2025, and the Saudi Next Gen 2025 title.

Abdullah Al-Shegawi will also make his Dakar debut, as the second selection through the Saudi Next Gen program.

Khaled Al-Feraihi will make his Dakar debut in the Ultimate class, while Majed Al-Thunayan returns for a second appearance in the Stock category.

A growing motor sports ecosystem

From participation in the early years of the Dakar’s Kingdom era to recent championship successes, Saudi Arabia’s Dakar story has evolved into a sustained presence built on experience, ambition and long-term vision.

The 2026 event, the seventh Dakar Rally hosted by Saudi Arabia, will feature a prologue followed by 13 competitive stages across 14 race days, showcasing the diverse landscapes of the Kingdom.

The event will bring together more than 800 competitors of 69 nationalities in 433 vehicles. It is staged under the supervision of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sport, and organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation in partnership with the Saudi Motorsport Company.