Dakar 2026, Stage 9: Ford takes 1-2 in overall standings as rivals hit trouble
Eryk Goczal claimed a shock win for Toyota customer Energylandia in Stage 9 of the Dakar Rally, as Nani Roma surged from fourth place to assume the overall lead.The 410km test from Wadi ad-Dawasir to Bisha turned Dakar on its head, with overnight leader Nasser Al-Attiyah and several key contenders losing significant time due to navigation […]
How Elfyn Evans plans to finally achieve rallying’s holy grail
Elfyn Evans says lessons have been learned and areas for improvement identified to become world rally champion after the agony of losing the title by four points to Sebastien Ogier last year. The Toyota driver heads into the 2026 season as a five-time title runner-up and the most successful driver of the current WRC crop […]
How did WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera’s single-seater debut go?
As two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanpera tackles a new career in single-seaters, moving to Super Formula for 2026, he’s getting crucial experience in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy. Formerly known as the Toyota Racing Series, the FROT is typically used by young drivers to compete in the winter break, as it takes place in New […]
What Ford is doing differently at the 2026 Dakar
You hear it before you see it – that’s the motto of the Ford Raptor T1+ at the 2026 Dakar Rally. At the heart of the prototype lies a 5.0-litre Coyote Darkhorse V8 engine, featuring 32 valves, a bore of 93 millimetres and a stroke of 92.7 millimetres. By using a naturally aspirated engine, Ford is […]
Mattias Ekstrom wins stage after late drama for Henk Lategan
Ford’s Mattias Ekstrom has been gifted victory on Stage 7 of the 2026 Dakar Rally after long-time leader Henk Lategan hit trouble in the closing part and dropped over 10 minutes. Lategan had been poised to take both the stage win and the overall lead as the Toyota driver headed the pack at the final […]
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 […]