Overview
- Dacia captured its first overall Dakar victory as Nasser Al-Attiyah topped the car standings ahead of Nani Roma and Mattias Ekström, with Ekström winning the final stage for his third stage win plus the prologue.
- Luciano Benavides secured his first motorcycle title by two seconds over Ricky Brabec after Brabec took a wrong turn about two kilometres from the finish, giving Benavides a total time of 49 hours and 41 seconds in the tightest margin on record.
- Al-Attiyah’s win on the penultimate stage marked his 50th career Dakar stage victory and set up the triumph, after which he drove a measured final 105 km around Yanbu to seal the overall.
- Roma received a one‑minute penalty before the finale yet retained second overall, finishing 9:42 behind Al-Attiyah as Ford placed two cars on the podium.
- Stage tactics and setbacks shaped the week: Brabec slowed earlier to improve his start position before winning the penultimate bike stage, while Henk Lategan’s drivetrain halt on stage 11 ended his car victory hopes.