The 2023 Dakar Rally is on the home stretch

January 14 | Stage 13 | Shaybah - Al-Hofuf | Distance - Total / Special: 675.6km / 154km

Only one more stage lies between Convoy 2023 and the finish, where 5,000 rated race kilometers will be covered over treacherous terrain - including the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter. Before the final stage from Al-Hofuf to Dammam, the leading duo is separated by just 12 seconds.

Australian Toby Price leads just ahead of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Benavides. The Argentine cut 2:28 minutes off the lead by winning stage 13, while American Skyler Howes lurks in third place, 1:31 minutes behind. Price, 35, said, "Today I caught up with the guys at kilometer 90 and I just thought to myself, 'If I want to win this race, I have to be in front and try to collect the bonus a little bit.' I'm happy."

Loeb provided fireworks with his sixth consecutive stage win, consolidating his second place in the Cars category. Even if the BRX Hunter driver cannot achieve the overall victory, he collects useful points for the World Rally Raid Championship behind Nasser Al-Attiyah, while Lucas Moraes remains third. Moraes, 31, said, "It was hard to see because of the sun. Timo (Gottschalk) did a great job."

In the T3 category, Mitch Guthrie Jr. and co-driver Kellon Walch took their fifth stage win in their T3-M by MCE5 machine, while their Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team USA presented by BFGoodrich teammates AJ Jones / Gustavo Gugelmin and Seth Quintero / Dennis Zenz remained first and second.

Spain's Cristina Gutiérrez overtook Chile's Chaleco López to move into fourth place with a 34-second lead, while her Red Bull Can-Am Factory Team colleague, Baciuška, saw his 4th place advantage cut to 3:24 minutes by Poland's Erik Goczal with one stage to go.

Sunday's final 14th stage covers 136km along the Arabian Gulf coast between Al-Hofuf and Dammam, providing plenty of opportunity for some dramatic racing before the big post-race party on the seaside podium.