KTM unveils its 2026 Dakar Rally challenger
KTM has officially unveiled three Red Bull 450 Rally machines ahead of its Dakar title defence.
KTM heads into the 2026 Dakar Rally looking to defend its crown, and it will do so with three full factory 450 Rally machines.
One of those bikes will be ridden by Daniel Sanders, who won the event with KTM last year. Sanders will be joined by Luciano Benavides, and Edgar Canet, who is making his debut in the RallyGP category. Canet makes the step up as the reigning Rally2 World Cup champion.
The event will take place from January 3 to the 17, and it will be the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally.
Given his racing achievements, Sanders will start the event as KTM’s most likely contender for the crown. All three riders will be aboard Red Bull-liveried 450 motorcycles, which were revealed alongside the Austrian manufacturer's rider line-up.
Riders will cover around 8,000 km, including a record distance for special times stages. Discussing the route in further detail, KTM says riders “will explore new terrain in western and central Saudi Arabia, avoiding the Empty Quarter for the first time. Riders will face two marathon-style stages without any assistance, with a rest day in Riyadh on January 10 providing the only pause in an otherwise demanding event”. The 2026 Dakar will start and finish in Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
The three bikes that will be raced are special race versions of the brand’s 450 Rally Replica, which uses a 449.3cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, and features a fuel capacity of 35 litres.
Speaking ahead of next month’s race, Sanders said:
“Obviously there is some pressure after the win this year, but we’re training hard for this and I know I can perform. The team is in a really good place, I feel ready, so we are all committed to getting out there and getting the job done again. It’s a long race for sure. Every Dakar is different so we always take it day by day and do the best we can. Motivation is at an all-time high after our success this year, so I can’t wait for January!”
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