Mini Steals Stage 1

Mini claimed victory in Stage 1 of the 2026 Dakar Rally after a late turnaround in the 305 km special around Yanbu.

Guillaume de Mevius delivered a strong finish to take the win, overturning Ford’s early advantage.

Mattias Ekström led much of the stage in his Ford Raptor but lost time in the final section and dropped back.

Five-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah finished second, while Martin Prokop secured third place.

Despite missing out on the win, Ford still placed several cars inside the top ten as the rally continues deeper into the desert.