Archive · 13 Jan 2026
Variawa Wins Dakar Rally Stage 8
The Dakar Rally is a big car and motorcycle race that happens in Saudi Arabia.
On Monday, a young driver named Saood Variawa won the eighth stage of the race.
He beat another South African driver, Henk Lategan, by just three seconds.
The overall leader, Nasser Al-Attiyah, finished fifth but still leads the race.
There are five stages left before the race ends in Yanbu.
In the motorcycle part of the race, Luciano Benavides won his third stage in four days and took the lead for the first time in his career.
The Dakar Rally started in 1978 and has been held in different places over the years.
Saood Variawa won the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
Nasser Al-Attiyah remains the overall leader but saw his lead cut to four minutes.
Henk Lategan moved up to third overall, six minutes and eight seconds behind the leader.
Luciano Benavides won the motorcycle stage and took the overall lead.
The top five in the car standings are separated by just 10 minutes and 39 seconds.
- Who
- Saood Variawa, Nasser Al-Attiyah, Sebastien Loeb, Luciano Benavides, Daniel Sanders
- What
- Dakar Rally Stage 8
- When
- Monday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia
- Why
- Competition in the Dakar Rally
- Winner
- Saood Variawa
- Stage Length
- 483km
- Overall Leader
- Nasser Al-Attiyah
- Event
- Dakar Rally
- Location
- Saudi Arabia
- Remaining Stages
- 5
- Final Destination
- Yanbu
- Motorcycle Leader
- Luciano Benavides