Ales Loprais, together with David Kripal and Jiri Stross, successfully completed one of the toughest stretches of the Dakar 2026 rally - marathon stages 4 and 5, during which service team assistance was prohibited. The InstaForex Loprais Team De Rooy FPT crew in the Red Dragon truck showed remarkable resilience and then returned triumphantly with victory in stage 6.
Marathon challenge
Stage 4 opened the marathon series - the harshest test of Dakar, where crews are left without mechanic support. The route ran across rocky plateaus and sandy sections, covering about 400 km. Red Dragon completed the day without critical issues despite difficult dune navigation and temperatures above 40C.
Stage 5 proved the most dramatic. Crews spent the night in an isolated bivouac without contact with the support team. In the morning, they faced a 500-kilometer special stage through the steep dunes of the Rub' al Khali, where sand temperatures reached 60C. Red Dragon encountered suspension problems and tyre pressure loss. Jiri Stross repaired faults on the move in the scorching cabin while Kripal adjusted the route. Despite lost time, the crew held third place in the overall classification, trailing the leader by 15-20 minutes.
Triumphant return
Stage 6 became the moment of a victorious return. After a full overnight service, mechanics restored Red Dragon. In the morning, the crew started the 480-kilometer special from Al Ula to Hail. Loprais attacked aggressively, overtaking van den Brink on the 60th kilometer. The average speed exceeded 110 km/h, a record for a 9-ton truck. Crossing the finish first, with a margin of more than two minutes over Zala, set the stage for a fight for the overall win. The victory moved Loprais up to second place overall, reducing the gap to the leader to 10 minutes.
"The marathon was hell, but the team proved its spirit. Stage 6 sends a message to our rivals: Red Dragon breathes fire again," David Kripal commented.
Meanwhile, the Loprais Tatra Team crews continue to battle in the Dakar Classic. Igor Pazdera in the Tatra 815-2 Puma consolidated his lead in H2, surpassing Italian driver Calzi by 18 points.
