Dakar Rally 2026 Day 4 Round-Up – Marathon Stage Madness & Honda on Fire
Dakar Rally 2026 – Day 4: Marathon Mayhem, Honda Heat & Desert Drama
Day 4 of the Dakar Rally 2026 served up exactly what we all secretly love about Dakar – long distances, zero comfort, rising pressure, and the kind of mechanical sympathy that makes grown riders whisper sweet nothings to their bikes at night.
Stage 4 ran from Al-Ula to Al-Ula and marked the opening leg of the marathon stage, meaning no team assistance at the bivouac. Just riders, their tools, a headtorch, and that growing feeling of “please don’t let anything rattle loose”.
Motorcycles – Schareina Strikes Again
On two wheels, Tosha Schareina was once again the man to beat. The Honda rider stormed to victory over the 417 km special, claiming his fourth stage win of the rally and stamping Honda’s authority all over Day 4.
Top 5 – Stage 4 (Motorcycles)
- 1st – Tosha Schareina (Honda)
- 2nd – Ricky Brabec (Honda)
- 3rd – Skyler Howes (Honda)
- 4th – Ross Branch (Hero)
- 5th – Daniel Sanders (KTM)
That result also shook up the overall standings. Schareina now shares the overall lead on equal time with teammate Ricky Brabec, with the Spaniard edging ahead on countback. Honda locking out the top three on the stage was a proper statement – red bikes, red faces, and probably red-hot brake discs.
Overall Motorcycle Standings (After Day 4)
- Tosha Schareina (Honda)
- Ricky Brabec (Honda)
- Daniel Sanders (KTM) – 1m 24s behind
Aussie hope Daniel Sanders kept things tidy but slipped to third overall. Nothing disastrous, but in Dakar terms that’s still close enough to smell the dust of the leaders.
Cars – Big Win, Bigger Exit
Over in the car category, Henk Lategan delivered a cracking drive to take the Stage 4 win and move into the overall rally lead. The Toyota driver handled the brutal terrain perfectly – fast when it mattered, careful when it didn’t.
The big headline, though, was the exit of defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi. After a nightmare run of punctures and technical issues, and with no spares left to play with, his Dakar defence came to a grinding halt. That’s Dakar for you – one minute you’re the champ, the next you’re loading the car and wondering what went wrong.
Overall Car Standings (After Day 4)
- Henk Lategan (Toyota)
- Nasser Al-Attiyah
- Mattias Ekström
- Carlos Sainz
With Al-Rajhi out, the fight for overall honours is wide open, and the marathon stage could yet bite a few more big names before the tools are packed away.
Marathon Reality Check
The lack of team support overnight is where Dakar really earns its reputation. Riders and drivers are now responsible for their own repairs, tyre choices, and damage control. One loose bolt today can become a full-blown disaster tomorrow – ask anyone who’s ever ignored a funny noise and hoped for the best.
Bikes took a hammering over rocky sections, tyres were pushed to the limit, and fatigue is starting to show. Everyone’s soaked in sweat, knackered, and still smiling like idiots – which tells you everything you need to know about why Dakar is special.
What’s Next?
Day 5 brings the second half of the marathon stage, and if Day 4 taught us anything, it’s that this rally is far from settled. Leaders will need to balance speed with survival, and anyone chasing will be itching to roll the dice.
We’ll be watching closely – probably with a brew in hand and no risk of punctures on the sofa.
Scroll on for the Day 4 highlights video below
