TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) completed a solid and encouraging first full day of racing at the 2026 Dakar Rally on Sunday, as Stage 1 delivered a tough and varied opening test around Yanbu.
The 305 km special stage, combined with 213 km of liaison, offered a true Dakar challenge from the outset. Crews were faced with a demanding mix of fast sandy canyons, rocky plateaus, winding wadis and narrow, technical sections, all requiring constant concentration and careful navigation. All three TGRSA crews brought their GR Hilux IMT Evo cars back to the bivouac in good condition after a long and eventful day.
Fastest of the TGRSA drivers on Stage 1 was Guy Botterill, partnered by Oriol Mena (#218), who claimed seventh place on the stage, just over two minutes behind the leader. Despite an early puncture, the pair maintained a strong and consistent pace throughout the day.
“Stage one was good, a typical Dakar stage,” said Botterill. “We picked up a puncture quite early on in a sandy riverbed, so we had to be careful in the rocks after that. Luckily there was a tyre point where we could change tyres. The car performed well, Oriol was fantastic on the notes, and we found a good rhythm. It’s still early days, but we’re happy with where we are.”
Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (#213) finished Stage 1 in 13th position after a confident and controlled drive through the wide range of terrain encountered on the day. Starting deeper in the field, Variawa managed traffic well and focused on preserving both pace and strategy.
“Stage one was quite good,” said Variawa. “We had really good pace at the start and no real issues with the car. The setup worked really well in those conditions. We went through rocky sections, wadis, mountain areas, flat graded roads and even some dunes. The car was quite constant throughout the stage and we were quick. I found a few cars in front of me and managed to overtake, but we also made sure not to push too hard and open the stage tomorrow.”
Completing the TGRSA trio, João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro (#240) brought their GR Hilux IMT Evo home in 14th position, just one second behind Variawa. The Portuguese pairing enjoyed a clean and trouble-free opening day, with navigation playing a key role.
“It was a very nice stage,” said Ferreira. “We started Dakar on the right foot with no problems, no punctures or anything like that. Filipe did an amazing job with the navigation because it was very tricky and very fast, with a lot of rocks. We are happy with our position and tomorrow we should have a good starting position for another rocky stage.”
Looking ahead, Stage 2 will see the Dakar move from Yanbu to AlUla, with a demanding 400 km special stage and a total distance of 504 km for the day. The stage is expected to place a strong emphasis on rocky and stoned tracks, combined with fast dirt sections and limited sand, making accurate navigation and mechanical sympathy crucial. With another long day in prospect, TGRSA will aim to build on a positive opening stage as Dakar 2026 begins to settle into its rhythm.
Dakar 2026 features six stages prior to the Rest Day in Riyadh, followed by seven more stages before the rally concludes back in Yanbu on 17 January.
DAKAR RALLY 2026 – STAGE 1 RESULTS
| 1. | #222 | G. DE MÉVIUS / M. BAUMEL | X-RAID TEAM | +3HOURS 7MIN 49SEC |
| 2. | #299 | N. AL-ATTIYAH / F. LURQUIN | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +00:40 |
| 3. | #221 | M. PROKOP / V. CHYTKA | ORLEN JIPOCAR TEAM | +01:27 |
| 4. | #266 | M. EKSTRÖM / E. BERGVIST | FORD RACING | +01:38 |
| 5. | #206 | M. GOCZAL / M. MARTON | ENERGYLANDIA RALLY TEAM | +01:38 |
| 6. | #225 | C. SAINZ / L. CRUZ | FORD RACING | +01:54 |
| 7. | #218 | G. BOTTERILL / O.MENA | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +02:03 |
| 8. | #227 | N. ROMA / A. HARO | FORD RACING | +02:37 |
| 9. | #228 | M. GUTHRIE / K. WALCH | FORD RACING | +02:50 |
| 10. | #219 | S. LOEB / E. BOULANGER | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS | +03:01 |
| 13. | #213 | S. VARIAWA / F. CAZALET | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +04:15 |
| 14. | #240 | J. FERREIRA / F. PALMEIRO | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SA | +04:16 |
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