P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Stage 3 of the 2026 Dakar Rally saw a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Ford, as Toyota plummeted down the order.
Ford made a strong impression in Stage 3 of the 2026 Dakar Rally, with Mitch Guthrie Jr achieving his first Dakar stage victory in the cars category. The day was challenging due to navigation difficulties and mistakes by rivals, allowing Ford to secure all its factory entries in the top ten positions after Toyota faced a sudden setback. Despite Toyota’s dominance in Stage 2, Stage 3 proved to be a different scenario, where navigation played a crucial role, as noted by top contender Nasser Al-Attiyah. Toyota’s Seth Quintero struggled with navigation, losing significant time and eliminating any chance of maintaining their lead. Ford’s Mattias Ekström initially led the stage but teammate Guthrie eventually took over, driving confidently and eventually winning the stage, fending off strong competition. Guthrie’s victory was secured by maintaining composure and finishing ahead of Prokop and Sainz, marking his first Dakar stage win in the Ultimate category.
