Could time bonuses solve the “yo-yo effect” at the Dakar Rally?
The overall classification of the Dakar Rally remains tight, with the top-seven drivers separated by under 20 minutes. But daily stage results regularly saw surprises and a pendulum effect, as anyone finishing among the front positions on one stage had almost no chance of making the top 10 the next day. The stage winner has […]
Tyre Lottery at the 2026 Dakar Rally: What’s going wrong?
During the first week of the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, there have been numerous tyre failures. Almost every team and vehicle in the top class has been affected, with some drivers suffering multiple punctures in a single day. On some stages, pit stops for tyre changes were introduced as some teams were even […]
Why M-Sport has faith in youth over experience WRC line-up
M-Sport favouring youth over experience when it comes to its World Rally Championship driver line-up is nothing new, having developed a reputation for being perennial producer of star talent. The British squad has provided a valuable proving ground for WRC stars of the future, with many of those going on to win or challenge for […]
Nasser Al-Attiyah regains overall lead with first stage victory
Nasser Al-Attiyah has reclaimed the overall lead at the 2026 Dakar Rally with his first stage win of the event, leading a Dacia 1-2 from team-mate Sebastien Loeb. In the 326km of running from Ha’il to Riyadh, Al-Attiyah grabbed the stage lead around one-third into the day’s action from Joao Ferreira. Despite challenges from Seth […]
Ford strikes back to win but Toyota maintains overall lead
Mitch Guthrie led a 1-2-3 finish for Ford in the fifth stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally, but Toyota’s Henk Lategan did enough to hold on to the overall lead. Thursday’s 371km test from Al-Ula to Hail saw a two-horse race between Ford team-mates Guthrie and Nani Roma, with the duo trading positions as they […]
Hyundai postpones Thierry Neuville’s Monte Carlo test due to heavy snow
Heavy snowfall has forced Hyundai to postpone Thierry Neuville’s pre-event test ahead of the World Rally Championship season opener in Monte Carlo. WRC teams have headed to the south of France this week to test in preparation for the annual asphalt curtain raiser to be held from 22-25 January. While Toyota began testing on Tuesday […]
Toyota reveals new-look WEC Hypercar for 2026 amid wider revamp
Toyota has taken the covers off the updated version of the Le Mans Hypercar that will contest the 2026 World Endurance Championship. Christened the Toyota TR010 Hybrid, the V6 twin-turbo-powered car marks the next iteration of the GR010 Hybrid that has been in service since the inception of the Hypercar class in 2021. This is […]
Why defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi retired from Dakar 2026 stage 4
Last year, Yazeed Al-Rajhi made history by becoming the first Saudi driver to win the Dakar Rally in the car category. Together with navigator Timo Gottschalk, the pair began the defence of their title on 3 January in Yanbu but, after just four stages, that mission has come to an early end. During the first […]
Toyota’s Henk Lategan crushes rivals to take overall lead
Factory Toyota driver Henk Lategan annihilated the competition in the Dakar Rally on Wednesday, scoring a mammoth seven-minute victory in the first part of the marathon stage. In a 2026 event that has seen Toyota’s form fluctuate wildly day to day, Lategan mounted an impressive comeback from Tuesday’s disappointment to log the quickest time in […]