Dakar Rally Prologue: Ekstrom leads Ford 1-2 in cars, Canet Storms to Victory in Bikes
The leading contenders of the 2026 Dakar Rally were first into action during the prologue in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, and it was Mattias Ekström (pictured) who emerged on top to give Ford an ideal start to the world’s toughest rally.
Ekström’s time of 10m 48s was enough to secure fastest overall honors in the short opening test, placing the experienced Swede at the head of the timesheets and allowing him to choose a favorable starting position for the first full stage of the rally.
Ford’s strong showing was underlined by Mitch Guthrie, who completed a one-two finish for the American manufacturer. Guthrie ended the prologue just 8 seconds behind his teammate, confirming the competitiveness of the Ford Raptor package from the very first competitive kilometers.
Third place went to Guillaume de Mévius, who once again demonstrated his speed in the X-Raid Mini, tying with Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia Sandriders) at +0:08s. Seth Quintero rounded out the top five for Toyota Gazoo Racing at +0:14s.
Prologue Cars (T1 Ultimate Class) Results
As is typical for a Dakar prologue, time gaps were minimal. The entire top ten was covered by around 20 seconds, highlighting how closely matched the front of the Ultimate class is this year. Among those inside that narrow margin were multiple Dakar winners and legends of the event, including Carlos Sainz Sr.
Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb conceded 34 seconds, but such a deficit is of little consequence at this early stage of a two-week marathon that will be decided by endurance, navigation and consistency rather than outright sprint speed.
In the bike category, the prologue delivered a major surprise as 20-year-old Spanish rookie Edgar Canet stormed to victory on his factory KTM, becoming the youngest rider to top a Dakar prologue in the premier RallyGP class. Canet edged out established stars, with teammates and rivals from Honda, Hero, and Husqvarna filling the chasing positions in incredibly tight margins. Reigning champions and favorites like Ricky Brabec and Daniel Sanders stayed close, setting up an intense battle as the bikes head into the longer stages.
While prologue times do not count towards the overall classification, they play a crucial strategic role by determining the starting order for Stage 1. With the rally’s first full test—a demanding loop around Yanbu featuring rocky canyons and sandy tracks—looming tomorrow, Ekström and Ford have laid down an early marker in cars, while Canet’s breakthrough adds excitement to the bikes. But with thousands of kilometers of desert still ahead across Saudi Arabia, the battle for Dakar glory is only just beginning.
Prologue Bikes Results
Last Year’s Results: Dakar Rally: Al-Rajhi (cars) and Sanders (Bikes) win 2025 Dakar