The 2026 Dakar Rally resumed its brutal desert odyssey on Monday with Stage 8, a 481 km loop around Wadi Ad Dawasir, marking the start of the second half of the event and a crucial phase for South African contenders.
Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa again showed grit, with all three of its crews surviving another punishing day. After an encouraging Stage 7 performance — where João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro claimed second place — the Portuguese duo continue to lead the local challenge, now 11th overall despite intense competition.
Ferreira said the fast, flowing dunes demanded precision and concentration, and their clean run boosted morale as the rally ventures deeper into sand that will test both manpower and machine.
Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena battled on after an early puncture hindered their pace in Stage 7, finishing 17th overall as they focused on tyre preservation rather than outright speed. Meanwhile, Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet endured a difficult outing, hampered by punctures, navigation issues and a damper issue that forced in-stage repairs.
On the overall leaderboard, South African Henk Lategan briefly looked set to redefine the early narrative when he led through much of Stage 7 — only to be thwarted by late mechanical trouble that allowed seasoned veteran Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) to reclaim the lead. Lategan remains in the mix, albeit off the podium positions, and carries valuable experience into the demanding days ahead.
Elsewhere in the rally, South African women’s rallying made headlines when Puck Klaassen recorded a historic stage win in the Challenger category earlier in the event, becoming only the fifth woman ever to achieve such a feat at Dakar.
As Dakar pushes forward with six stages to go — including another Marathon stage that forbids overnight mechanics support — navigation acuity and vehicle endurance will be vital.
South African crews remain determined to capitalise on opportunities, manage the dunes and hard choices, and fight for strong finishes in one of motorsport’s toughest tests.
DAKAR RALLY 2026 – OVERALL STANDINGS (AFTER STAGE 7)
South African perspective
• Henk Lategan remains the strongest overall SA contender, still within striking distance of the podium.
• Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa has all three cars running strongly into week two despite punctures and mechanical challenges.
• With dunes intensifying and a second Marathon Stage still to come, reliability and navigation could yet reshuffle the order.
