Monsieur Dakar · Dakar Rally

Stéphane Peterhansel

Fourteen victories at the Dakar Rally, more than anyone else, and the only competitor to have won it on two wheels and on four. Six on a Yamaha between 1991 and 1998, eight in cars between 2004 and 2021.

Nationality
French
Born
6 August 1965 · Échenoz-la-Méline, France
Dakar debut
1988 · eighteenth, on a Yamaha
Dakar wins
14 · 6 on motorcycles, 8 in cars
Dakar stage wins
83 · 33 on bikes, 50 in cars
Now
Defender Rally Team
Shop the Collection Watch highlights
14-Time Dakar Winner
1988 — Present
14
Dakar Victories
6
Wins on Two Wheels
8
Wins on Four Wheels
83
Dakar Stage Wins

Who is Stéphane Peterhansel?

Stéphane Peterhansel (born 6 August 1965) is a French rally-raid driver who holds the record for Dakar Rally victories with fourteen — six on a motorcycle between 1991 and 1998 and eight in a car between 2004 and 2021. Known as Monsieur Dakar, he has contested the event since 1988 and drives for the Defender Rally Team.

Full name
Stéphane Peterhansel
Nationality
French
Career
1988–present
Best known for
A record fourteen Dakar Rally victories, on two wheels and four

By Kozmozracing Editorial Published Updated 5 sources

Rider Profile

Stéphane Peterhansel: Full Biography

Stéphane Peterhansel is a French rally-raid driver who holds the record for victories at the Dakar Rally with fourteen — six on a motorcycle between 1991 and 1998, and eight in a car between 2004 and 2021. The French press call him Monsieur Dakar. He has contested the event since 1988.

Motorcycles He came to the Dakar through enduro, winning the world championship twice, and finished eighteenth on his debut in 1988 for Yamaha. The wins followed in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998. His 33 stage wins on two wheels remain a record for the class.

Cars He switched to the car category in 1999 and won for Mitsubishi in 2004, 2005 and 2007, for X-raid’s Mini in 2012 and 2013 — the second of those making him the most successful competitor in the rally’s history — and for Peugeot in 2016 and 2017 on the marque’s return after twenty-five years. A fourteenth win came with Mini in 2021.

Beyond the Dakar He has won the UAE Desert Challenge on both a bike and in a car, the Paris–Moscow–Beijing rally, the Tunisia and Morocco rallies and, in 2019, the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies. Jean-Paul Cottret was his co-driver from 1999 to 2018. He drives for the Defender Rally Team.

The Career

Three Chapters That Defined Stéphane Peterhansel

Chapter 01

Six on Two Wheels

He was born at Échenoz-la-Méline in eastern France in August 1965 and came to rally-raid through enduro, a discipline in which he won two world championships. He rode his first Dakar in 1988 for Yamaha and finished eighteenth, taking a stage on the way; he was fourth the following year with six stage wins. The victories began in 1991 and kept coming — 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998, six in eight years, all on the Yamaha. His 33 stage wins in the motorcycle category are a record for the class, as are his six wins in it. Away from the Dakar he won the Paris–Moscow–Beijing rally in 1992 and the UAE Desert Challenge on a bike in 1996.

Stéphane Peterhansel, right, alongside Laurent Charbonnel in a crowd of spectators on the Côte du Corbeau Mort during the 1996 Gilles Lalay Classic. Gilles Lalay Classic · France, 1996 Photo: Stéphane Peterhansel, Gilles Lalay Classic (1996) by El Trinche / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized) · licence
Chapter 02

Eight on Four

He moved to the car category in 1999 with Nissan, spent a year with Mega, and joined the works Mitsubishi team in 2003. Wins came in 2004, 2005 and 2007. The rally was not held in 2008, and after a season with BMW he joined X-raid for 2012 and won again, a tenth Dakar victory; the eleventh, in 2013, made him the most successful competitor in the event’s history. In 2014 he was leading on the final stage when the team ordered him to let his team-mate Nani Roma through, and he finished second. Peugeot signed him for 2015 as the marque returned to the Dakar for the first time since 1990, and he won for them in 2016 and 2017.

Stéphane Peterhansel signing autographs for spectators at Buenos Aires before the 2010 Dakar Rally. Dakar Rally · Buenos Aires, 2010 Photo: Stéphane Peterhansel, Dakar Rally (2010) by Exepm / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized) · licence
Chapter 03

Fourteen

He returned to Mini for 2019 and won a fourteenth Dakar in 2021, thirty years after the first, before three seasons with Audi that brought two retirements and a thirtieth place. He did not enter in 2025 and returned in 2026 with the Defender Rally Team, finishing fourth. Jean-Paul Cottret sat beside him from 1999 to 2018, when he and Cyril Despres swapped co-drivers and David Castera took the seat; his wife Andrea Mayer co-drove the 2018 Rallye du Maroc. He has also won the UAE Desert Challenge four times in a car, the Tunisia and Morocco rallies, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies in 2019, competed in the Race of Champions in 2005 and 2006, and spent a season in the French Touring Car Championship in a Nissan Primera in 2002.

Stéphane Peterhansel being interviewed at the press conference for the 2016 Dakar Rally in November 2015, in his Peugeot Sport years. Dakar 2016 press conference · November 2015 Photo: Stéphane Peterhansel, Dakar 2016 press conference by Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized) · licence
Career Timeline

Stéphane Peterhansel Career Timeline: 1965–Present

Born in Échenoz-la-Méline

Stéphane Peterhansel is born on 6 August in eastern France.

Dakar Debut

Rides his first Dakar for Yamaha and finishes eighteenth.

First Victory

Wins the Dakar Rally on a motorcycle.

Three in a Row

A third consecutive Dakar win.

Sixth on a Bike

A final motorcycle victory before moving to the car category.

Four Wheels

Switches to cars with Nissan.

Mitsubishi

Joins the works Mitsubishi team.

First Car Win

Wins the Dakar in a car for the first time.

Tenth Dakar

A first win with X-raid’s Mini Countryman.

The Record

An eleventh victory makes him the most successful competitor in Dakar history.

Peugeot

Joins Peugeot as the marque returns to the Dakar after twenty-five years.

Thirteenth

A second consecutive win for Peugeot.

Fourteenth

Wins the Dakar again with Mini, thirty years after his first victory.

Defender

Returns with the Defender Rally Team and finishes fourth.

By the Numbers

Stéphane Peterhansel Dakar Rally Record, Year by Year

Stéphane Peterhansel season-by-season record: team, class, stage wins, stage wins to date, dakar wins and final standing.
SeasonTeam Class Stage Wins Stage Wins to Date Dakar Wins Pos.
1988 Yamaha Bike 1 1 0 18
1989 Yamaha Bike 6 7 0 4
1990 Yamaha Bike 1 8 0 DSQ
1991 Yamaha Bike 1 9 1 1
1992 Yamaha Bike 4 13 2 1
1993 Yamaha Bike 3 16 3 1
1994 — — – – – –
1995 Yamaha Bike 4 20 4 1
1996 Yamaha Bike 3 23 4 DNF
1997 Yamaha Bike 7 30 5 1
1998 Yamaha Bike 3 33 6 1
1999 Nissan Car 0 33 6 7
2000 Mega Car 2 35 6 2
2001 Nissan Car 0 35 6 12
2002 Nissan Car 1 36 6 DNF
2003 Mitsubishi Car 6 42 6 3
2004 Mitsubishi Car 2 44 7 1
2005 Mitsubishi Car 4 48 8 1
2006 Mitsubishi Car 3 51 8 4
2007 Mitsubishi Car 0 51 9 1
2008 — Not held – – – –
2009 Mitsubishi Car 0 51 9 DNF
2010 BMW Car 4 55 9 4
2011 BMW Car 1 56 9 4
2012 Mini Car 3 59 10 1
2013 Mini Car 2 61 11 1
2014 Mini Car 4 65 11 2
2015 Peugeot Car 0 65 11 11
2016 Peugeot Car 3 68 12 1
2017 Peugeot Car 3 71 13 1
2018 Peugeot Car 3 74 13 4
2019 Mini Car 2 76 13 DNF
2020 Mini Car 4 80 13 3
2021 Mini Car 1 81 14 1
2022 Audi Car 1 82 14 DNF
2023 Audi Car 0 82 14 DNF
2024 Audi Car 1 83 14 30
2025 — — – – – –
2026 Land Rover Car – 83 14 4

Winning years are highlighted; the fourteen highlighted rows are his fourteen Dakar victories and the Dakar Wins column is a running count that closes on 14. Stage wins are counted from the same year-by-year record and come to 83 in total — 33 in the motorcycle category and 50 in cars — which matches the published figures for both classes exactly, and the six-and-eight split of his victories matches as well. He did not enter in 1994 or 2025, and the 2008 rally was not held after it was cancelled on security grounds; those three rows are blank. The 2026 row carries no stage-win figure because the source has not recorded one. Positions are overall placings in his class. His two World Enduro Championships, his wins at the UAE Desert Challenge, the Paris–Moscow–Beijing, the Tunisia and Morocco rallies and the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies are covered in the biography rather than here. Figures verified 6 September 2026.

Frequently Asked

Stéphane Peterhansel: Frequently Asked Questions

How many times has Stéphane Peterhansel won the Dakar Rally?

Fourteen, which is the record. Six came on a motorcycle — 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998 — and eight in a car: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2021.

Why is Stéphane Peterhansel called Monsieur Dakar?

Because of that record. He has won the rally on two wheels and on four, has 83 stage wins across the two categories, and has been entering the event since 1988. He is also known simply as Peter.

What did Stéphane Peterhansel ride and drive?

A Yamaha for all of his motorcycle years. In cars he has driven for Nissan, Mega, Mitsubishi, BMW, Mini, Peugeot, Audi and, from 2026, Land Rover’s Defender Rally Team.

When did Stéphane Peterhansel switch from bikes to cars?

In 1999, the year after his sixth and final motorcycle victory. His first Dakar win in a car came in 2004, with Mitsubishi.

What happened at the 2014 Dakar Rally?

He was leading on the final stage when his team ordered him to let his team-mate Nani Roma pass and take the win. He finished second.

Who is Stéphane Peterhansel’s co-driver?

Jean-Paul Cottret sat beside him from 1999 to 2018. After the 2018 Baja Portalegre 500 he and Cyril Despres swapped co-drivers, bringing David Castera into his car; his wife Andrea Mayer co-drove the 2018 Rallye du Maroc.

How many Dakar stage wins does Stéphane Peterhansel have?

Eighty-three — 33 in the motorcycle category, which is a record for the class, and 50 in cars.

What else has Stéphane Peterhansel won?

Two World Enduro Championships, the Paris–Moscow–Beijing rally in 1992, the UAE Desert Challenge on a motorcycle in 1996 and four times in a car, the Tunisia and Morocco rallies, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, both in 2019.

Has Stéphane Peterhansel raced circuits?

A little. He contested the French Touring Car Championship in a Nissan Primera in 2002, with a best result of sixth at Dijon, and appeared in the Race of Champions in 2005 and 2006.

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References

Sources & Further Reading

Every statistic on this page is drawn from the following records.

  1. Dakar Rally · Amaury Sport Organisation (official)
  2. Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile · FIA (official)
  3. Stéphane Peterhansel · Wikipedia
  4. Stéphane Peterhansel (French) · Wikipedia (French)
  5. Stéphane Peterhansel (Q312780) · Wikidata entity record

How this page is made

Rider profiles are compiled from official series records and cross-checked against independent statistical databases before publication.

Commercial disclosure. This page links to merchandise sold by Kozmozracing. Products are fan-made tributes inspired by motorsport history and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed from the rider, their estate, or any team.

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