Lategan takes lead as Al-Rajhi pulls out

Saudi Arabia's Dakar Rally champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi declared an end to his title defence and withdrew on Wednesday as South African Henk Lategan dominated the fourth stage for Toyota and took over at the top.

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Al-Rajhi had been struggling from the start in his customer entry Toyota Hilux, and was already 19th when he withdrew with technical issues 234km into the 452km part of a two-day marathon stage around Al-Ula.

“Sadly, our Dakar 2026 journey ends here,” he posted on Facebook. “We'll come back stronger next year.”

The Saudi explained later that he had lost half an hour with two punctures and, with nearly half the stage remaining until the bivouac and having to go slow with no further spare available, had called it a day.

It ended a difficult year for the Saudi since he won last year, with Al-Rajhi crashing in Jordan last April and breaking two vertebrae. He returned to competition only in September.