Ricky Brabec Wins Dakar’s Stage 11, Takes Commanding Overall Lead Into Event’s Final Stage
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 11 recap, penned by Pat Schutte.
YANBU, Saudi Arabia – Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally and their No. 1 racer, American Ricky Brabec, gambled big on Thursday’s Stage 11 at Dakar – leading into today’s all-important penultimate Stage 12 of the legendary endurance race. Brabec, who led the Dakar heading into Thursday, paced himself to a 6th place finish – and, purposely, handed the lead over to KTM’s Luciano Benevides.
The eyebrow-raising strategy would pay off, big time, as today’s Stage 12 was all Brabec with the two-time Dakar champ, who’s strategy had him starting some six minutes behind Benevides so he (Brabec) could be the hunter – and not the hunted - through the 720 km run from Al Henakiyah to Yanbu, including 311 km of timed Special. And when today’s dust tracks arose across the desert headed towards the finish line at the final Dakar bivouac, Brabec had put 3:20 between himself and the eight-time Dakar competitor Benevides.
“I tried to ride carefully,” said Brabec of Stage 12. “But I took many risks to try and make a good push. No problems. Today was a good push so we’re looking really good. I’m really happy about this.”
For Saturday’s final Stage 13, a short 105 km ‘Victory Lap’ stage, Stage 12 winner and overall RallyGP class leader Brabec will start three minutes ahead of 2nd place Benevides. And in addition to his sizable 3:20 advantage, the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally racer will also receive an additional 1:23 bonus time credit for being the first bike out on the final stage.
Brabec continued: “Last night was probably the best night of sleep I’ve had since the rally started. Still got one day to go. Luciano (Benevides) has been riding well the whole rally, so I’ve got to give it up to him. We’ve been fighting every day. It’s really cool to see, and I think people that are watching at home, that aren’t here, are really enjoying the results every day. They’re so back and forth. It makes for good racing. It makes for good television. It makes for people always thinking.”
Also climbing in the standings was American Skyler Howes (Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally), who by virtue of consistently fast and generally mistake-free riding, passed defending Dakar champ Daniel Sanders (KTM) and into 4th place in the overall RallyGP class standings.
“Oh, boy, I had a very eventful day today because I had a small gasket failure which started draining all of the oil out of the bike,” cited Howes, who won Thursday’s previous Stage 11 and had to open Stage 12. “I was running OK, until kilometer 100, when Adrien (Van Beveren, Howes’ teammate) took over. I tried my best not to build engine heat. So I’m very happy to have moved up to 4th overall. It was a miracle of a day to get into the finish, so I’m happy about that. We’ll see how this last 100 kilometers goes tomorrow.”
Rounding out the Stage 12 podium with the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally team was Spanish racer Tosha Schareina in 3rd position, 12:58 back of Brabec. Schareina is in 3rd place overall through 12 (of 13 stages), 27:51 back of Brabec.
In Rally2 racing Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally’s American Preston Campbell continued his epic run at this very first Dakar Rally, placing 3rd on the day and maintaining his 2nd place position in the overall class standings, 6:12 back of veteran Dakar racer Toni Mulec (KTM).
“The stage was good. I had a lot of fun on this one,” said Campbell. “I like the speed and the rocks, the short dune sections and some nice valleys. It was a really fun flow and, yeah, I was happy with my ride today.”
Campbell then reflected on his first time here at Dakar: “Yeah, I’m super happy with my two weeks here at the Dakar. I think it’s gone pretty well, lots of learning, lots of improvement. So yeah, super stoked to be in the position I’m at – and looking forward to more.”
Joining Campbell on the overall podium was fellow junior Dakar racer, Portugal’s Martim Ventura (Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally). Well over an hour behind Campbell, Ventura’s ahead of the 4th place overall Rally2 competitor, Poland’s Konrad Dabrowski (Duust Rally Team), by more than a half hour – all but guaranteeing overall podium positions for the two rookie Dakar racers for the first year Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally junior program.
Noteworthy: “A couple of years ago we (Monster Energy & Honda HRC Rally) were discussing building a junior team,” said Monster Energy’s Joe Parsons. “Two years later we’re here at the ’26 Dakar with two young kids, no expectations to be on the box – and both of them are going to be on the box!”
Final Stage 13 overview: Bringing ‘er home in a short 138 km (105 km timed Special, 33 km Liaison) final stage, racers will hit some gravel tracks first, through a mountainous landscape, then through a short transfer section before the ’26 Dakar’s final timed section of the rally that has the competitors finishing in the center of the Yanbu bivouac amongst all their fellow race teams. An epic and highly memorable site for those involved.
2026 Dakar Rally Stage 12 Results
Place/Name/Team
RallyGP
1st – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:19:01
2nd – Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:31:59 (+ 12:58)
7th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:43:25 (+ 24:24)
Rally2
3rd – Campbell (Monster Energy/Honda)
03:41:47 (+ 08:12)
2026 Dakar Overall Standings (through Stage 12 of 13)
RallyGP
1st – Brabec (48:08:12)
4th – Howes (+ 58:21)
Rally2
2nd – Campbell (+ 06:12)
