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Dakar Rally chaos: Nasser Al-Attiyah falters as Henk Lategan’s victory dreams shatter

Simon Monroy by Simon Monroy
January 15, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Dakar Rally chaos: Nasser Al-Attiyah falters as Henk Lategan’s victory dreams shatter

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Edouard Boulanger on their Dacia Sandrider of the Dacia Sandriders during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2026, on January 12, 2026 around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia // Florent Gooden / DPPI / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202601120432 // Usage for editorial use only //

Dakar Rally Shocker: Major Upsets and High Drama as Title Contender Crumbles!

In a heart-stopping twist during the 11th stage of the grueling Dakar Rally, Mattias Ekström emerged triumphant in the car class for Ford, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. However, while Ekström celebrated his victory, the overall standings took a shocking turn, as the reigning leader Nasser Al-Attiyah faced unexpected challenges, losing precious time to his rivals.

Thursday’s special stage was a mere 347 kilometers, but as any seasoned Dakar participant knows, the devil is in the details. Navigation once again proved to be the name of the game, with competitors navigating through treacherous terrain and tactical pitfalls. At the outset, the field was tightly packed, but as the stage unfolded, the gaps began to widen dramatically.

Al-Attiyah, the frontrunner in the overall standings, struggled mightily, dropping time at every waypoint. His misfortunes were overshadowed only by the spectacular performance of Mattias Ekström, who blazed through the course, finishing with an impressive lead of 1 minute and 22 seconds over the second-place finisher, Romain Dumas. Hot on their heels were racing legends Carlos Sainz Sr., Joao Ferreira, and Seth Quintero, all vying for their moment of glory.

But it was a day to forget for Henk Lategan, who had been in prime position, sitting second in the general classification before this stage. Lategan’s hopes for victory evaporated as he found himself stuck for an agonizingly long period, resulting in a catastrophic loss of hours. With his dreams dashed, the South African racer faces the bitter reality of a rally that might have slipped through his fingers.

In a dramatic reshuffle of the leaderboard, Al-Attiyah’s missteps brought his closest competitors, Nani Roma and Sébastien Loeb, into striking distance. Both drivers seized the opportunity to climb to second and third positions, respectively, as Ekström closed in at fourth, leaving the race for the crown tantalizingly open. With just two stages remaining, Roma now finds himself over eight minutes adrift of Al-Attiyah, setting the stage for an electrifying finish.

As the dust settles on this stage of the Dakar Rally, the competition intensifies with every passing moment. Will Al-Attiyah regain his footing, or will the relentless pursuit of Roma and Loeb propel them to victory? The thrilling saga of the Dakar Rally continues, and the world will be watching closely as the final stages unfold.

Stay tuned for updates, as the competition heats up and each driver battles against the clock, the elements, and, of course, each other in this iconic off-road showdown!

Tags: 2023-dakar-rally2025-ford-championshiphenk-lategan-2mattias-ekstrom-2Nasser Al-Attiyah
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