Monster Energy Honda HRC cleared for takeoff as 2026 Dakar Rally gets ready to kick off in Yanbu
With scrutineering successfully completed for Monster Energy Honda HRC, attention now firmly turns to the highly anticipated start of the 2026 Dakar Rally, the most demanding event on the rally-raid calendar.
The team arrived in Saudi Arabia last week to acclimatise to the local conditions, adapt to the time zone and temperatures, and carry out a final shakedown of their Honda CRF450 RALLY machines. Riders Ricky Brabec, Skyler Howes, Adrien Van Beveren and Tosha Schareina used the opportunity to fine-tune their setups and build confidence ahead of the opening stages. Following these preparations, all four riders completed the mandatory administrative checks before their bikes were presented for scrutineering today at the Yanbu start camp, located on the shores of the Red Sea, where they passed without issue.
With nearly 8,000 kilometres awaiting competitors over the course of the next two weeks, the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally is set to begin in Yanbu. The event will open with a 41km liaison section leading into a 22km prologue. While short in distance, the gravel prologue is expected to be intense, placing immediate pressure on riders to perform. A strong result will be vital, as finishing positions will help the riders to determine their starting order for stage one and could play a key role in shaping the early dynamics of the race.
Ruben Faria
We are in Yanbu, the weather is good, the Honda CRF450 RALLY bikes have passed all the technical checks and the riders are really excited to start tomorrow’s 22km prologue, which looks like a mini stage with a lot of waypoints. Our bikes have been prepared and we are ready for the most important race of the year that is the Dakar Rally.
Location Information
The greatest and toughest rally in the world, the Dakar’s history has been written in the heart of some of the world’s most stunning deserts and belongs to the world of the greatest sporting challenges of our time. Both a motor race and an orienteering challenge, the Dakar Rally pits… read more.
