Kevin Benavides will be back at the Dakar Rally in 2026, albeit on four wheels. He confirmed his entry on Wednesday, stating he will race a Taurus T3 Max from BBR Motorsport at the Baja Morocco and Rallye du Maroc to prepare for Dakar.

Since retiring from motorcycle racing in June, the two-time Dakar bike winner has been transitioning into driving. He made his SSV debut at the Rally Raid San Juan in August. Racing in snowy conditions, his Can-Am Maverick X3 was hampered by mechanical issues that limited him to 15th in class.

Because Morocco offers desert terrain not dissimilar to Saudi Arabia’s, the Baja Morocco and Rallye du Maroc are often used as dress rehearsals for those heading to Dakar. The latter is part of the W2RC like Dakar; Benavides hasn’t raced the RdM since finishing sixth in RallyGP at the 2022 edition as his 2023 and 2024 entries were called off due to injuries.

His injury history, especially after winning the 2023 Dakar, were the main reason for his retirement from bike racing. Still, the urge to race remained.

“My plan is to rack up as many kilometers as possible for the Dakar,” said Benavides. “I estimate I’ll have around 2,500 kilometers with what I do in Morocco, and the goal is to rack up another 2,000.”

Unlike the Can-Ams that Benavides raced, the Taurus T3 Max is a prototype and purpose built for rally. Tauruses dominated the 2025 Dakar Rally in January, with Nicolás Cavigliasso winning the Challenger class for BBR Motorsport.

Benavides is expected to fill Cavigliasso’s seat at BBR.

The Baja Morocco will take place on October 2–6, followed by the Rallye du Maroc on October 10–17.

“What an honor for Baja Morocco to be the first step in this new chapter, just before Kevin takes on the Rallye du Maroc and then the Dakar,” reads a statement from organizers. “It’s a true pleasure for the whole organization to welcome him, and an extra boost of motivation for all the competitors lining up for this exceptional edition.”

Featured image credit: Kin Marcin / Red Bull Content Pool