Toyota nominates Oliver Solberg to score manufacturer points in 2026 WRC opener
New Toyota signing Oliver Solberg has been nominated to score manufacturer points at the opening round of the 2026 World Rally Championship season in Monte Carlo. Event organisers have today released its 66-car entry list for the annual WRC curtain raiser (22-25 January), which will feature 11 Rally1 entries and 27 Rally2 crews, while 25 […]
Defending Dakar winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi explains disastrous opening stage
Defending car champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi faces an uphill battle at the 2026 Dakar Rally after a troubled opening stage, in which he lost significant time and incurred a heavy penalty. Shortly after his Dakar victory in 2025, Al-Rajhi and navigator Timo Gottschalk suffered injuries that forced them to miss several rounds of the World Rally-Raid […]
Mini snatches win from Ford as Mattias Ekstrom drops back
X-raid Mini’s Guillaume de Mevius topped the opening stage of the Dakar Rally on Sunday, overhauling long-time leader Mattias Ekstrom in a dramatic late turnaround. Ford driver Ekstrom controlled much of the day’s 305km stage around Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, grabbing the lead at the second checkpoint on 70km before stretching out an advantage of […]
Amputated navigator returns to Dakar 11 months after life-changing accident
Four-time Dakar Rally-winning navigator Mathieu Baumel has returned to the event this year, just 11 months after a serious accident and the amputation of his right leg. Baumel was on his way to Rally Monte Carlo at the beginning of 2025 when he was struck by a vehicle after stopping to help stranded motorists. The […]
How will the new Defender fare against Dakar’s fastest cars?
Land Rover’s Defender has been a familiar sight in the Dakar Rally for many years, but the British brand has never before lined up with a full factory team. That will change in 2026: the Defender will foray into the world’s biggest rally-raid with three factory entries, with 14-time Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel spearheading the […]
Mattias Ekstrom leads Ford 1-2 in Prologue
Factory Ford driver Mattias Ekstrom drew first blood in the 2026 Dakar Rally, edging out team-mate Mitch Guthrie in Saturday’s Prologue. The 48th edition of Dakar kicked off in earnest on 3 January, with a total of 72 cars taking the start in the Ultimate class. The Prologue featured a 95km route around the Saudi […]
Juan Cruz Yacopini to miss 2026 Dakar Rally after sea diving incident
Juan Cruz Yacopini will miss the 2026 Dakar Rally after reportedly suffering serious injuries in a sea diving accident shortly before Christmas, although details have not yet been officially confirmed by his family. The Argentine driver was due to start his sixth Dakar Rally on Saturday, but that appearance has been ruled out. According to […]
These are leading contenders for the 2026 Dakar Rally
The 2026 Dakar Rally is shaping up to deliver one of the most closely fought battles in recent years. Ford and Dacia arrive in Saudi Arabia determined to apply the lessons they learned on their debut last year with the aim of ending Toyota’s dominance in the world’s most prestigious rally-raid. Toyota isn’t standing still […]
Sebastien Ogier pays tribute to WRC rival that ‘pushed him the hardest’
Sebastien Ogier says Ott Tanak pushed him “harder than anyone else” as the nine-time world rally champion paid tribute to his rival and friend, who will take a sabbatical in 2026. Tanak shocked the rally world in November when the 2019 champion announced plans to take a break from full-time competition in the WRC next […]