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 4 recap, penned by Pat Schutte.

January 7, 2026 (ALULA, Saudi Arabia) – Huge turn of events at Dakar today saw the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally team step up and dominate Wednesday’s Marathon Stage 4, sweeping the top three podium spots (1^st Tosha Schareina, 2^nd Ricky Brabec, 3^rd Skyler Howes) and knocking defending Dakar champ and leader heading into Stage 4, KTM’s Daniel Sanders, out of the top spot and into 3^rd position overall. Teammates Schareina and Brabec are now in a virtual tie for 1^st place in the overall Dakar RallyGP class time department, each showing 16:45:40 at the end of the day.

Schareina, Brabec and Howes all finished within ten seconds of each other (04:31:56, 02 & 06), with South African and ’24 World Rally-Raid Championship series winner Ross Branch (Hero Motosports, powered by Monster Energy) adding one more M-clawed helmet into the top five on Stage 4.

And things were just as bright for the Americans in the support Rally2 class as Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally’s rookie racer, Preston Campbell, would win Stage 4 and also take over the reigns of that division’s lead through four stages.

Noteworthy: With the racers now getting their tents set up, a bonfire started and digging into their ration boxes for dinner before bedding down for some much needed rest in the middle of the Saudi desert, there’s (designed) zero communication with the rest of the team. So racer quotes from today’s Stage 4 will have to wait until tomorrow.

Stage 5 overview: The Marathon Stage continues on Thursday as soon as the sun creeps over the horizon, shedding light on the second half of this unique stage. Brains a bit cloudy from the lack of proper sleep, bodies not properly warmed up, eyesight somewhat compromised - racers will have to adapt quick in order to pick up the trail and waypoints, lest they lose some valuable time with navigational errors. And as soon as they get up to speed in the sand, organizers send them back into rocky trails, slowing them down and testing their technical riding skills. A tough day ahead, the bivouac back in Hail will be a welcome site at Stage 5’s completion.

2026 Dakar Rally Stage 4 Results

RallyGP            

2^nd – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda) 04:32:02 (+ 00:06)
3^rd – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda) 04:32:06 (+ 00:10)

Rally2

3^rd – Campbell (Monster Energy/Honda) 04:50:59 (+ 08:41)

2026 Dakar Overall Standings (through Stage 4 of 13)

RallyGP

2^nd – Brabec (+ 00:00)
6^th – Howes (+ 13:41)

Rally2

1^st – Campbell (+ 17:54:30)