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 […]
Toyota WRC team boss buys top WRC2 squad
Toyota World Rally Championship team principal Jari-Matti Latvala has purchased the WRC2 title-winning Printsport Racing outfit. JML-WRT Oy, a company created by the 18-time WRC rally winner, has acquired the Finnish rally team that has recently guided Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg to WRC2 titles in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Both drivers have since graduated […]
Full route, schedule and marathon stage details
The 47th edition of the Dakar Rally will begin on 3 January and mark the start of the 2026 motorsport season. As has been the case every year since 2020, the event will run entirely in Saudi Arabia, having moved from its former base in South America. This means the Gulf nation will be the […]
Why Hyundai expects to be stronger in WRC 2026
Hyundai will be «better prepared» and «stronger» in the World Rally Championship next year after a difficult 2025, according to team principal Cyril Abiteboul. The Korean marque was soundly beaten this season scoring two victories, at Acropolis Rally Greece and in Saudi Arabia, while rivals Toyota chalked up a stunning 12 wins spread across drivers […]
Red Bull co-owner Mark Mateschitz to enter Dakar Rally under an alias
Red Bull co-owner Mark Mateschitz and his celebrity partner Victoria Swarovski will contest the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia next month. In the shadow of rally legends Carlos Sainz Sr, Sebastien Loeb, and Nasser Al-Attiyah, another pair of well-known names will face the challenge at the 48th edition of Dakar, which will run from 3-17 […]