Mattias Ekström has won the prologue of the 2026 Dakar Rally. The Swedish Ford driver was fastest on the 22-kilometre test around Yanbu, completing the course in 10:48. The route was fast and dusty, dotted with small trees and bushes. Mitch Guthrie secured a Ford one-two, finishing just eight seconds behind. Guillaume de Mévius took third place, also eight seconds off the pace.
This marks Ekström’s sixth Dakar stage win and his third prologue victory, following previous successes at Sea Camp in 2023 and Al-`Ula in 2024. He now surpasses fellow Swede Kenneth Eriksson, who remains on five stage wins, making Ekström the most successful Swedish Dakar driver ever. For Ford, this is only the third Dakar stage win, after two previous victories by Ekström and Nani Roma in 2025.
The prologue was characterized by extremely dusty conditions, making it tricky to follow the line of the rider ahead. The course was sandy and open, with a few canyons and some deceptively technical sections that were almost trial-like. This was followed by fast, winding passages between small trees, where the combination of high speed, limited visibility due to dust, and hidden obstacles created dangerous moments.
Lategan suffers puncture, trees not spared
The prologue did not go smoothly for all top contenders. Defending champion Henk Lategan had to complete the stage with a flat tire, finishing 47th at 1:38, while Mitch Guthrie managed to take second place despite a collision with a tree.
De Mévius surprised with third place in his MINI. The result is made even more remarkable by the inspiring comeback story of navigator Mathieu Baumel, who lost his right leg in a traffic accident less than a year ago and is now competing with a prosthesis. “Just being here is my first victory,” Baumel said yesterday.
Dacia and Toyota in pursuit
Nasser Al-Attiyah started strongly for Dacia and seemed set to be the fastest, but ultimately had to settle for fourth place (+0:08), just like the second and third-placed drivers. Behind them, three drivers finished 14 seconds off the win: Seth Quintero, Yazeed Al Rajhi, and Eryk Goczal.
Carlos Sainz finished eighth (+0:15), while Sébastien Loeb ended up 17th, 34 seconds behind, the same time as teammate Lucas Moraes. The nine-time world rally champion was the favorite for the prologue, but his expected dominance did not materialize. Perhaps a deliberate choice to avoid opening the road on the real stages.
Dutch drivers off to a strong start
Of the six Dutch participants in the Ultimate category, Janus van Kasteren was the best, finishing 22nd (+0:43). The SHIVER Offroad team showed a strong prologue: Michiel Becx finished 27th (+1:00) and Roger Grouwels 45th (+1:32). All three significantly improved their starting positions.
Van Kasteren was happy with his prologue. “It was a great, fast stage to start with. There were quite a few stones in the corners, but we were able to drive through them easily and felt really good out there. In the end, we finished 22nd, and I’m genuinely happy with that, especially when you see the caliber of drivers we managed to keep behind us. Since it’s only the first day, it’s still a bit about getting used to things—like the seating position—but this result gives us a lot of confidence. We’re going to try and maintain this pace, though we’d be more than satisfied with a top-thirty finish. It was a successful first day, and we’re ready for tomorrow!”
Dave Klaassen finished 42nd (+1:28) in his DKR EVO Ultimate, demonstrating the speed of his new car. Tim Coronel came in 49th (+1:40), while Maik Willems rounded out the Dutch contingent in 67th place, 2:42 behind winner Ekström.
Two participants did not reach the finish: Daniel Schröder (#229) and Ferran Jubany (#231).
Defenders dominate Stock category
In the Stock category, the new Defender team was in control. Sara Price won ahead of Stéphane Peterhansel and Rokas Baciuska, all three driving the Defender Dakar D7X-R. “What will really hold us back is not the engine or the weight, but the design of a standard vehicle,” Peterhansel explained. “Prototypes can take an incredible amount of punishment. You can smash over holes and bumps that would break a driver’s back, and the car just takes it. Our lightly modified production car is much more vulnerable, so we have to take it easier. Those are the two main reasons why we will always be far behind the prototypes.”
The top 10 will choose their starting positions for tomorrow’s first stage this evening. Ekström now has a tactical advantage and can decide whether to start first or last in the desert dust.
Prologue results
1. Mattias Ekström / Emil Bergkvist 00:10:48.7
2. Mitch Guthrie / Kellon Walch +00:00:08
3. Guillaume de Mévius / Mathieu Baumel +00:00:08
22. Janus van Kasteren / Marcel Snijders +00:00:42
27. Michiel Becx / Wouter de Graaff +00:01:00
42. Dave Klaassen / Tessa Klaassen +00:01:28
45. Roger Grouwels / Rudolf Meijer +00:01:32
49. Tim Coronel / Tom Coronel +00:01:40
67. Maik Willems / Jasper Riezebos +00:02:41
