The second week of the 2026 Dakar Rally got underway with a demanding Stage 7, and it proved to be a mixed but telling day for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa as the rally headed deeper into the southern dunes.
João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro (#240) delivered an excellent performance, finishing second on the stage at +4:27 from the winner. It was a fast, flowing test that rewarded commitment and accuracy, and the Portuguese pairing executed their plan perfectly to start Week Two on a high.
“It was a very clean stage for us,” said Ferreira. “No problems, no punctures, no navigation issues. It was super-fast and easy to make mistakes, but we did a good job. I’m really happy with how we started the second week.”
Palmeiro added that the stage demanded constant focus at high speed, with plenty of navigation despite the pace. The result lifts Ferreira and Palmeiro to 11th overall, now +28:59 from the rally lead.
For Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena (#218), Stage 7 was about damage limitation after an early puncture forced them onto the back foot. With nearly the full stage still to run, the pair opted to manage tyres carefully and bring the GR Hilux IMT Evo home safely.
“We picked up a puncture very early on, so we had to take it easy over the rocks and manage the tyres,” said Botterill. “It wasn’t the best day speed-wise, but we got to the end. Hopefully tomorrow we can have a better day.”
Botterill and Mena finished the stage in 14th place, +9:10 from the winner, and sit 17th overall at the end of Stage 7, +1:04:52 from the lead.
Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (#213) endured a particularly difficult day. An early puncture after the dune section cost time, before navigation errors in successive valleys compounded the losses. Late in the stage, a damper issue added further delay, forcing the crew to improvise repairs to reach the finish.
“A beyond horrible stage for me,” said Variawa. “We had a puncture, got caught in navigation issues, and then had a damper problem near the end. It cost us a lot of time, but at least we’re still here and the car is in one piece. From now on, we just have to push.”
Variawa and Cazalet finished Stage 7 in 28th position, +27:51 from the stage winner, and now sit 15th overall, +50:08 from the rally lead.
The Dakar now continues with Stage 8, a long and demanding loop around Wadi Ad Dawasir. The stage features a 483 km special stage, with extensive sand and dune sections expected to place renewed emphasis on tyre management, navigation accuracy and endurance as the rally pushes deeper into its decisive second week.
Six stages remain in this year’s event, including a second Marathon Stage, which may prove pivotal in the final result of Dakar 2026.
DAKAR RALLY 2026 – STAGE 7 RESULTS
| 1. | #266 | M. EKSTRÖM / E. BERGVIST | FORD RACING | 3HOUR 44MIN 22SEC |
| 2. | #240 | J. FERREIRA / F. PALMEIRO | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +04:27 |
| 3. | #228 | M. GUTHRIE / K. WALCH | FORD RACING | +04:55 |
| 4. | #204 | T. PRICE / A. MONLEON | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING W2RC | +05:01 |
| 5. | #223 | L. MORAES / D. ZENZ | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +05:17 |
| 6. | #219 | S. LOEB / E. BOULANGER | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +05:27 |
| 7. | #203 | S. QUINTERO / A. SHORT | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING W2RC | +05:32 |
| 8. | #214 | M. SERRADORI / L. MINAUDIER | CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM | +06:00 |
| 9. | #225 | C. SAINZ / L. CRUZ | FORD RACING | +06:01 |
| 10. | #227 | N. ROMA / A. HARO | FORD RACING | +06:36 |
| 14. | #218 | G. BOTTERILL / O.MENA | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +09:10 |
| 28. | #213 | S. VARIAWA / F. CAZALET | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +27:51 |
DAKAR RALLY 2026 – STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 7
| 1. | #299 | N. AL-ATTIYAH / F. LURQUIN | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | 28HOUR 10MIN 15SEC |
| 2. | #266 | M. EKSTRÖM / E. BERGVIST | FORD RACING | +04:47 |
| 3. | #227 | N. ROMA / A. HARO | FORD RACING | +07:15 |
| 4. | #202 | H. LATEGAN / B. CUMMINGS | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING W2RC | +07:21 |
| 5. | #225 | C. SAINZ / L. CRUZ | FORD RACING | +10:26 |
| 6. | #219 | S. LOEB / E. BOULANGER | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +15:39 |
| 7. | #228 | M. GUTHRIE / K. WALCH | FORD RACING | +19:20 |
| 8. | #214 | M. SERRADORI / L. MINAUDIER | CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM | +22:05 |
| 9. | #223 | L. MORAES / D. ZENZ | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +24:39 |
| 10. | #205 | E. GOCZAL / S. GOSPODARCZYK | ENERGYLANDIA RALLY TEAM | +25:25 |
| 11. | #240 | J. FERREIRA / F. PALMEIRO | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +28:59 |
| 15. | #213 | S. VARIAWA / F. CAZALET | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +50:08 |
| 17. | #218 | G. BOTTERILL / O.MENA | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +01:04:52 |
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