Mitch Guthrie spearheaded a dominant Ford 1-2 ahead of Martin Prokop to claim victory in Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 3, snatching the overall lead from Nasser Al-Attiyah.
The 421-kilometer loop stage around Al Ula tested competitors with a mix of sandy tracks, rocky sections, and deceptive navigation challenges, highlighting the unforgiving nature of the Saudi Arabian desert.
Ford’s resurgence came after a subdued opening stages as Guthrie, aboard the M-Sport Ford Raptor, capitalized on precise pacing and flawless execution to claim his maiden Ultimate category stage victory by 2 minutes and 27 seconds.
The stage unfolded under clear skies with temperatures rising into the mid-30s Celsius, conditions that amplified tire wear and demanded meticulous energy management from all entrants.
Early leaders included two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom driving a factory Ford, who set the benchmark pace through the initial checkpoints, briefly relinquishing the lead to teammate Nani Roma around the fourth timing point.
Mitch Guthrie started conservatively positioned outside the top 10 and trailed by nearly two minutes at the halfway mark, however, his co-driver Kellon Walch delivered impeccable navigation through the trickiest dunes, allowing the American to surge forward at the 303-kilometer mark.
Ekstrom suffered navigation errors and softer sand traps in the final 100 kilometers which saw him lose over seven minutes, effectively handing Guthrie the win.
Meanwhile, Martin Prokop in the customer Orlen Jipocar Ford Raptor climbed to second, securing the marque’s perfect podium sweep.
Prokop’s ascent was particularly notable as the Czech driver methodically picked off rivals in the closing sectors, benefiting from the Ford’s superior dune-crossing ability and robust suspension setup tailored for the rally’s hybrid terrain.
Behind the Ford duo, Guy Botterill delivered Toyota’s best effort, rocketing to third place overall in the stage, 5m53s adrift, showcasing the South African’s skill in high-speed sections despite the Hilux’s mechanical gremlins plaguing the factory team elsewhere.
Lucas Moraes kept Dacia’s hopes alive with a strong fourth-place finish amid the chaos that befell his teammates, while Cristina Gutierrez rounded out the top five, having flirted with second position midway through before settling into a rhythm that preserved her machinery.
Nani Roma kept Ford’s dominance intact with a sixth-place finish, the Spaniard having led briefly early on before prioritizing reliability over outright pace in the punishing latter stages.
Four-time Dakar winner Carlos Sainz Sr posted seventh aboard his M-Sport Ford Raptor, opting for a conservative strategy that avoided punctures—a recurring issue across the field—with his steady performance underscoring his veteran savvy.
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Matthieu Serradori impressed in eighth, just one second shy of Sainz, piloting the Audi-powered Century CR7 through technical rocky outcrops with remarkable precision, proving the Frenchman’s adaptability in non-prototype machinery.
Ekstrom salvaged ninth despite his end-stage struggles, while Denis Krotov rounded out a remarkable six Fords in the top 10.
Toyota endured a rollercoaster day as factory frontrunner and Stage 2 winner Seth Quintero ground to a halt at kilometer 275 due to mechanical woes, plummeting outside the top 20 and exposing vulnerabilities in the Hilux’s drivetrain under prolonged stress.
Henk Lategan fared best among the factory Toyotas in 22nd, but the team’s overall haul was lackluster after their 1-2-3-4-5 Stage 2 sweep, prompting questions about setup choices for the upcoming marathon stage.
Dacia’s pre-rally favorites Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sebastien Loeb suffered nightmares, each hemorrhaging over 20 minutes through cumulative time losses in navigation-heavy dunes, dropping Al-Attiyah to 10th overall and Loeb to 12th.
Bikes: Tosha Schareina leads Honda 1-2 to win Stage 3
In the bike category, Monster Energy Honda’s Tosha Schareina recovered from a crash to claim Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 3 win by 2m17s over teammate Ricky Brabec, breaking KTM’s early stranglehold.
Daniel Sanders held firm in third for Red Bull KTM, preserving his overall lead despite the tightening gap with the top three now separated by mere minutes entering the marathon stages.
Luciano Benavides (KTM) and Skyler Howes (Honda) completed a thrilling top five, Benavides gaining ground through rocky precision while Howes battled back from mid-pack after early dust ingestion issues.
Ross Branch (Hero) showed resilience in sixth, navigating fesh-fesh sections flawlessly to minimize losses, while Stage 1 winner Edgar Canet slipped to eighth after struggling in the sandier finale.
Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) and Michael Docherty (KTM) filled ninth and tenth, Van Beveren’s smooth throttle control shining in fast tracks as BAS World rider Docherty capitalized on clean lines.
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