The 2018 Dakar Rally was the 40th edition of the rally raid event and the 10th consecutive year held in South America. It started in Lima, Peru on January 6 and finished in Córdoba, Argentina on January 20, 2018. The route passed through Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, covering approximately 9,000 km. Carlos Sainz won the car category driving a Peugeot, Matthias Walkner won the motorcycle category on a KTM, Eduard Nikolaev won the truck category in a Kamaz, and Ignacio Casale won the quad category.
The 2018 Dakar Rally began with a short stage around Lima, Peru. The 40th edition of the rally featured 543 vehicles at the start across all categories, with competitors facing the challenging Peruvian dunes early in the race.
Stages 2 and 3 took competitors through the massive dunes of the Peruvian desert near Pisco and San Juan de Marcona. The treacherous sand dunes caused early difficulties for several top contenders, including Nasser Al-Attiyah who suffered mechanical issues.
The rally crossed from Peru into Bolivia, with competitors facing high-altitude stages above 4,000 meters. The marathon stage required riders to work on their own vehicles without assistance from their teams, adding an extra layer of difficulty.
Competitors reached the rest day in La Paz, Bolivia, the highest capital city in the world at over 3,600 meters altitude. At this point, Carlos Sainz led the car category, while Adrien Van Beveren led the motorcycle classification.
Stage 10 from Salta to Belén, Argentina was cancelled due to severe weather conditions including heavy rain and flooding. Organizers made the decision for safety reasons, and competitors were redirected on a liaison route to the next bivouac.
Carlos Sainz in his Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi extended his lead in the car category during the Argentinean stages. His main rival, Stéphane Peterhansel, suffered a crash that effectively ended his challenge for the overall victory.
Austrian rider Matthias Walkner on his KTM motorcycle secured a commanding lead heading into the final stage. His consistent performance throughout the rally, including a stage victory, put him in position to become the first Austrian to win the motorcycle category.
The 2018 Dakar Rally concluded in Córdoba, Argentina. Carlos Sainz won the car category for Peugeot, Matthias Walkner won the motorcycle category for KTM, Eduard Nikolaev won the truck category for Kamaz, and Ignacio Casale won the quad category. This was Peugeot's final Dakar Rally before withdrawing from the sport.