W2RC Abu Dhabi: Quintero leads Loeb and Al-Attiyah

The 35th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge runs from 22 to 27 November 2026 and, for the first time, closes the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships (W2RC). Four rounds have been run before this finale (Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Argentina, Morocco), and several titles, in cars and on bikes, are still to be decided.

Cars: Quintero ahead of Loeb and Al-Attiyah

In the drivers' championship, American Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing), the winner in Morocco, has 135 points and is chasing his first title. Sébastien Loeb, nine-time World Rally Champion, has 121, which is 14 fewer. Nasser Al-Attiyah, five-time Dakar winner, has 115, which is 20 fewer. The overall win in Abu Dhabi is worth 30 points, so the gap is very much within reach.

In the navigators' standings, Andrew Short (Toyota) has 135 points, Édouard Boulanger (Dacia) 121 and Fabian Lurquin 115. In the manufacturers' table, Dacia Sandriders (372 points) lead Toyota Gazoo Racing (325, 47 fewer) and Ford Racing (232).

Bikes: Sanders under pressure from Benavides and Schareina

On the bikes, Australian Daniel Sanders, the reigning champion at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, leads with 87 points. His team-mate Luciano Benavides, the 2023 champion, and Tosha Schareina (Honda) follow level on 74 points, 13 fewer. Young Spaniard Edgar Canet (21, KTM), who won round four, is still in the fight. In the manufacturers' table, KTM (176 points) lead Honda (153) and Hero MotoSports (61).

The other categories

• FIA Stock: Rokas Baciuška is drivers' champion ahead of team-mate Stéphane Peterhansel, Oriol Vidal is co-drivers' champion, and Defender won the manufacturers' title in its debut season.
• FIA Challenger: Portugal's Alexandre Pinto has 157 points after three straight wins; Puck Klaassen is 44 points behind.
• FIA SSV: Argentina's Jeremías González Ferioli leads with 157 points, 29 clear.
• FIM Rally2: Portugal's Martim Ventura (94 points) is 18 clear of Toni Mulec; his title is mathematically secured, pending FIM confirmation.
• FIM Quad: Antanas Kanopkinas (CFMOTO) leads Leonardo Martínez by 23 points.
• FIM Rally3: Murun Purevdorj has already won the title, the first Mongolian world champion in rally-raid.

The route

On Sunday 22 November the event opens in Al Ain with a prologue for the bikes, then the caravan heads west into Al Dhafra on a heavily revised route. The main bivouac is at Madinat Zayed. The full route has not yet been revealed. After the final stage on Friday 27 November, prize-giving and end-of-season celebrations are planned in Abu Dhabi.