TOYOTA Gazoo Racing South Africa entered the first full stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally from a position of quiet confidence, having safely guided all three crews through Saturday’s Prologue and into the top 20 without drama.

Stage 1 would be the first real test of that steady approach.But the measured start in Saturday’s Prologue set the tone for the Dakar grind that still lies ahead.

Stage 1 delivers early Dakar reality

The South African team 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 day featured a 305km special stage, combined with 213km of liaison, offering crews an immediate reminder of Dakar’s demands. The route mixed fast sandy canyons, rocky plateaus, winding wadis and narrow technical sections, requiring constant concentration and accurate 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, an important outcome as the rally begins to build momentum.

Fastest of the TGRSA drivers on Stage 1 was Guy Botterill, partnered by Oriol Mena, who claimed seventh place on the stage, finishing just over two minutes behind the leader. Their result came despite an early puncture, which forced a more cautious approach through rocky sections.

“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 completed Stage 1 in 13th position after a controlled drive through the full range of terrain encountered on the day. Starting deeper in the field, Variawa managed traffic while balancing 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 team’s effort, João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro 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 proving a key factor.

“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 to Stage 2

The rally now moves on to Stage 2, which will take competitors from Yanbu to AlUla. The day includes a demanding 400km special stage and a total distance of 504km.

The stage is expected to focus heavily on rocky and stoned tracks, combined with fast dirt sections and limited sand. As can be expected, accurate navigation and mechanical care are expected to be crucial once again.

Dakar 2026 features six stages before the Rest Day in Riyadh, followed by seven more stages, with the rally concluding back in Yanbu on January 17. And with the opening Prologue and Stage 1 completed cleanly, TGRSA will look to build steadily as the rally begins to settle into its rhythm.

DAKAR RALLY 2026 – STAGE 1 RESULTS

1st: Guillaume de Mévius / Mathieu Baumel (X-Raid Team) – +3h07m49s

2nd: Nasser Al-Attiyah / Fabian Lurquin (The Dacia Sandriders) – +00:40

3rd: Martin Prokop / Viktor Chytka (Orlen Jipocar Team) – +01:27

4th: Mattias Ekström / Emil Bergkvist (Ford Racing) – +01:38

5th: Michal Goczal / Maciej Marton (Energylandia Rally Team) – +01:38

6th: Carlos Sainz / Lucas Cruz (Ford Racing) – +01:54

7th: Guy Botterill / Oriol Mena (Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa) – +02:03

8th: Nani Roma / Alex Haro (Ford Racing) – +02:37

9th: Mattias Guthrie / Kellon Walch (Ford Racing) – +02:50

10th: Sébastien Loeb / Edouard Boulanger (The Dacia Sandriders) – +03:01

13th: Saood Variawa / Francois Cazalet (Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa) – +04:15

14th: João Ferreira / Filipe Palmeiro (Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa) – +04:16