Check out RacerXOnline social media for the next two weeks for daily reports from the Dakar Rally, as we get inside access to the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally Team. This is a team running three Americans in the event, Ricky Brabec (two-time winner), Skyler Howes (former podium finisher) and rookie Preston Campbell.
Here's the Stage 1 recap, penned by Pat Schutte.
Monster Energy/Honda HRC’s Ricky Brabec leads Americans with a podium 3rd place run on Stage 1 at Dakar
Brabec’s 3rd mirrors Prologue finish back of KTM’s Sanders & Canet; Monster/Honda teammates Howes is 10th in RallyGP & Campbell’s 7th in Rally2
YANBU, Saudi Arabia – The opening stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally turned out to be a duplicate of the previous day’s Prologue, with Californian Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally) placing 3rd behind the KTM duo of Edgar Canet and defending Dakar champ Daniel Sanders.
The ‘unofficial’ Stage 1 winner, 2024 Dakar champ Ross Branch (Hero Motosports, powered by Monster Energy), looked to have shaken things up a bit at the top in posting the fastest time over the 305 km Special portion of the stage, but he’d get popped by race officials for speeding and was demoted back to 7th position with a six-minute penalty.
“It’s the first official stage at Dakar – and I’m exactly where I want to be,” said the two-time Dakar champ Brabec. “You don’t want to open up too early, but you don’t want to start in the back. I’m happy where I’m at. Overall, the team’s looking good. The mechanics are doing a good job. And tomorrow I’ll be happy to leave the bivouac, head north, and get into some cooler weather.” Note: Temps in Yanbu have been in the mid-80s with full sun through the Prologue and Stage 1.
When asked of his strategy for Stage 1, Brabec casually responded: “I don’t think there was any strategy for me today – just get to the end of Stage 1 with no mistakes and be consistent throughout the day. And I think we managed that fairly well.”
Brabec’s Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally teammate in the premier RallyGP class, Utahan Skyler Howes, had a rough start to his eighth Dakar Rally, crashing in the opening portion of the race – yet still finishing in the top ten despite some mangled handlebars.
“Stage 1 was a bit of a frustrating stage for me. I kind of started in the wrong place, I got stuck in the dust really bad in the first part, couldn’t see, and I hit a big rock and had a big crash. Bent the bars pretty bad and it made it pretty hard to push. But everything’s all good. I’m all good. Just a bit of a frustrating day and hard not being able to push to my maximum.”
In Rally2 action, Monster Energy/Honda HRC Dakar rookie, Preston Campbell, would take 7th position in the support class aboard his trick (only 50 made) production Honda CRF450RX Rally bike, getting that all-important first stage under his belt.
“The stage was good. A good mix of some fast and rocky areas,” said the wide-eyed Californian, taking it all in with his dad, Honda consultant and American off-road great Johnny Campbell at his side. “A good first stage to finish at Dakar after a long two weeks and I’m looking forward to the rest of the race.”
Stage 2 overview: The Yanbu to Alula route for Stage 2 sends the Americans north through rocky trails and mountainous vistas. Temperatures drop and the level of difficulty heightens as with fast and winding tracks are interrupted by intermittent rocky sections. So speeds will vary drastically. Hilly terrain awaits the racers after the midway pit stop in the 400 km timed Special, so it’ll be an all-out drag race to the finish line in Alula.
2026 Dakar Rally Prologue Results
Place/Name/Team
RallyGP
3rd – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:17:43 (+ 01:32)
10th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:26:06 (+ 09:55)
Rally2
7th – Campbell (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:34:50 (+ 09:41)
2026 Dakar Overall Standings (through Stage 1 of 13)
RallyGP
3rd – Brabec (+ 01:32)
9th – Howes (+ 10:27)
Rally2
7th – Campbell (+ 10:11)
