Maria Luís Gameiro completed Stage 6, from Ha’il to Riyadh, with the 42nd fastest time of the day in the Ultimate category — one of her best performances in this year’s edition.
The result allows the Portuguese driver to climb again in the overall standings, now sitting 36th, confirming a steady recovery and consistent first week at Dakar.
After tackling the 915 km total distance of the longest stage of the rally so far, Maria arrives in Riyadh proud and highly motivated for week two, with the MINI JCW T1+ ready for a thorough service.
Stage 6 of Dakar 2026, from Ha’il to Riyadh, confirmed Maria Luís Gameiro’s upward competitive trend in her second appearance in the toughest rally-raid in the world. On a day defined by the sheer distance — 915 kilometres in total, including 326 km against the clock — the Portuguese driver, alongside Rosa Romero in the X-Raid MINI JCW T1+, set the 42nd quickest time of the day in the Ultimate category, delivering another very positive performance in this rally.
Thanks to this result, Maria took another step forward in the cumulative classification, moving up to 36th overall. It is a Dakar built with patience, intelligence and adaptability, despite the many challenges faced. In a stage where sand and dunes were the “main course,” reading the terrain and the MINI’s mechanical solidity proved decisive to maintain a strong pace without making the kind of costly mistakes that can define a day of this magnitude.
After such a long day, crossing the finish line in Riyadh meant more than simply adding kilometres to the odometer: it validated the strategy of treating Dakar as a test of endurance, not just speed — respecting the terrain and the body, while keeping sight of the main goal: to reach the finish with a solid result among the off-road elite.
Joy and enthusiasm were clear at the end of the stage. So much so that Maria admitted she felt ready to skip the rest day and keep going — a strong sign of the excellent management she has shown throughout a week marked by notable progress:
“I’m very happy. I feel really good. If I had to continue tomorrow, I would — although I know it will do me good to sleep a few more hours on this rest day.
The day went very well, without major concerns. We are heavily penalised by the position we are in on the road. We managed to gain places, which is very good, and being 36th in the Ultimate category at this point is excellent. It would only be better because of the accident we were victims of — I’m absolutely convinced I could already be further up. Every day we are penalised for having to overtake, for driving in dust, for catching tracks that are completely rutted.
Today that wasn’t as much the case, because around 70% of the stage was sand. It was our first proper dunes stage since the accident in Dubai, and I admit it went very well. Once again, the team was super happy with our performance. It was another very good day and now we go into the rest day. The balance of this first week is, despite the accident, clearly positive.”
Maria arrives in Riyadh proud to have successfully completed the first week and pleased with the competitiveness she has shown. 10 January marks the much-awaited rest day — the only day without racing until the end of the rally on the 17th. The Saudi capital finally offers a bit of comfort, essential to recover both body and mind.
Meanwhile, the X-Raid mechanics face a major service on the MINI JCW T1+, stripping it down, checking it over and replacing whatever is needed to ensure the car starts week two in ideal condition. But the rest is only relative: mentally, drivers and navigators are already looking ahead — AlUla, a second marathon even tougher, and stages of extreme navigation. Dakar goes on, and the real trial by fire starts now.
Source: Maria Luis Gameiro official press release
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
