Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 9: Marathon Chaos Hits Trucks, Challenger and SSV

WRC, Sportrik Media – Stage 9 of the Dakar Rally 2026 in Wadi ad-Dawasir marked the start of the feared Marathon phase, where every competitor is forced to survive the night without professional mechanics, turning even minor technical damage into a potential race-ending crisis.

The Marathon format strips Dakar down to its rawest form. Once the special stage ends, crews are left with a basic tent, limited tools and military-style rations. No external assistance is allowed, and whatever damage a vehicle carries into the bivouac must be fixed by the driver and navigator themselves. In a rally already defined by extreme heat, sand and mechanical stress, this rule adds a psychological layer that often decides the overall outcome.

In the Truck category, the duel between Martin Macik of MM Technology and overall leader Mitchel van den Brink from Eurol Rally Sport intensified dramatically. Van den Brink still holds a commanding advantage of nearly 40 minutes in the general classification, but Macik used his vast Dakar experience to claw back time after kilometre 78. The Dutchman responded with an aggressive push, reducing the gap to just 18 seconds by kilometre 147, underlining how narrow the margins have become even in the heavyweight truck class.

The stakes are even higher because of the Marathon rules. Every impact on the suspension and every degree of engine temperature must now be managed carefully, knowing that no professional crew will be waiting in the bivouac. Behind the leaders, Vaidotas Žala of Skuba Team and Ales Loprais from Instaforex Loprais Praga remain within striking distance, ready to capitalise on any mistake that could be impossible to repair overnight.

In the Challenger category, the Marathon stage delivered a devastating blow to Nicolas Cavigliasso of Team BBR. His title ambitions collapsed when a broken radiator forced him to stop at kilometre 53. Team-mate Oscar Ral attempted to help, but the delay proved too costly, handing a major advantage to championship rival Pau Navarro.

At the front, a thrilling duel developed between Paul Spierings and Dania Akeel of BBR Motorsport. Spierings briefly led, but Akeel stayed within just 15 seconds after 186 kilometres. Fresh from a historic women’s one-two finish alongside Puck Klaassen the previous day, Akeel’s pace signalled a new chapter for female competitors in Dakar Rally.

The SSV category saw a remarkable rise from Johan Kristoffersson, the eight-time Rallycross world champion now competing for Loeb FrayMédia with Polaris machinery. Despite being a Dakar rookie, Kristoffersson overtook Brock Heger to lead the stage, demonstrating an extraordinary adaptation to desert racing. In contrast, Xavier de Soultrait endured another day of mechanical and navigational setbacks, pushing him out of podium contention.

The emotional centre of Stage 9 came from the Stock category, where Stéphane Peterhansel, known as Mr. Dakar, produced a defiant performance. After losing his overall hopes due to mechanical failure and a 24-hour penalty the day before, Peterhansel attacked without restraint, beating team-mates Ronald Basso and Sara Price by more than four minutes. Even without a title to fight for, the competitive instinct of Dakar’s most successful driver remained unmistakable.

Stage 9 confirmed that the Marathon phase is the true soul of the Dakar Rally 2026. With drivers now forced to become their own mechanics under the cold desert night, the balance between speed and survival has never been more fragile, and the outcomes of these improvised repairs will echo through the remaining stages of the rally, followed in full by Sportrik at https://sportrik.com/dakar.