Seth Quintero led a dominant Toyota top five lockout in Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 2, while Dacia’s Nasser Al-Attiyah seized the overall lead after finishing seventh.
The 400-kilometer special stage from Yanbu to Al-Ula tested competitors with its punishing mix of rocky Hejaz mountain tracks, deceptive sandy plateaus, narrow canyons, and fast gravel sections that demanded precise navigation and mechanical reliability.
As the sun scorched the Saudi Arabian landscape, the Toyota Hilux fleet transformed early struggles into a masterclass, reshaping the rally’s narrative just two days in.
The stage unfolded under clear skies, with the caravan departing the coastal Yanbu bivouac toward the historic Al-Ula oasis, where ancient rock formations loomed as a dramatic backdrop to the action.
Early leaders in the car class faced immediate challenges from rocky passes and hidden punctures, but Toyota’s preparation shone through as their vehicles absorbed the terrain’s brutality better than rivals.
Saood Variawa set a blistering pace for the first 100 kilometers, holding the lead through initial checkpoints and showcasing Toyota South Africa’s tactical nous.
At the 143-kilometer mark, young American prodigy Seth Quintero paired with co-driver Andrew Short, surged ahead in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux, inheriting the lead with surgical precision.
Quintero demonstrated superior handling on the winding, technical sections, pulling away decisively as Variawa encountered traffic and minor delays, ultimately finishing second, 1m42s adrift.
Meanwhile, Henk Lategan in the sister Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux capitalized on Variawa’s fade to claim second at the penultimate checkpoint, bolstering Toyota’s dominance.
Yazeed Al-Rajhi mounted an impressive recovery from a disastrous Stage 1, where penalties and errors cost him nearly 30 minutes, to slot his Overdrive Toyota into third, proving the depth of the Japanese manufacturer’s lineup.
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Two-time Dakar bikes winner Toby Price delivered fourth place marking the third Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux, while Joao Ferreira recovered from a puncture to round out the top five for Toyota South Africa.
Sebastien Loeb posted the best non-Toyota result in sixth, his Dacia Sandrider covering the ground six minutes behind Quintero in a display of raw speed tempered by caution.
Nasser Al-Attiyah in the sister Dacia entry recovered from early time loss—about a third into the stage—to finish seventh, with his steady pace and Fabian Lurquin’s navigation paying dividends in the overall classification.
The father-son duo of Michal and Eryk Goczal flanked Variawa in eighth and tenth for Energylandia Toyotas, with Stage 1 winner Guillaume de Mevius managing only 11th in his X-raid Mini after conceding over eight minutes.
Ford’s day was subdued; Prologue winner Mattias Ekstrom dropped nine minutes for 12th, while Carlos Sainz Sr languished in 14th, highlighting vulnerabilities in their Raptor setups amid the rocks and sand.
Shifting to the bikes, Daniel Sanders claimed Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 2 victory in a tense duel with teammate Edgar Canet, both aboard Red Bull KTM 450 Rally machines.
Canet, fresh off his back-to-back wins in Prologue and Stage 1, opened the track for 100 kilometers before navigation issues and a minor crash allowed Sanders to overtake, the Australian veteran securing the win with bonuses for road-opening duties.
Sanders’ time of approximately 4:13:37 propelled him to the overall lead by 30 seconds, with Canet second. Ricky Brabec took third for Monster Energy Honda and remained third overall 2m18s back, while Tosha Schareina and Skyler Howes completed a strong Honda top-five presence.
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Dakar Rally 2026 Prologue: Mattias Ekstrom leads Ford 1-2 in cars, Edgar Canet tops in bikes
