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Mattias Ekstrom seizes Dakar stage seven victory as Henk Lategan suffers shocking downfall

Harry Bright by Harry Bright
January 11, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Mattias Ekstrom seizes Dakar stage seven victory as Henk Lategan suffers shocking downfall

Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergkvist of the Ford M-Sport Team compete during Stage 5 of the 2026 Dakar Rally, between Bivouac Refuge and Haïl, Saudi Arabia on January 8, 2026. // Florent Gooden / DPPI / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202601080343 // Usage for editorial use only //

Mattias Ekstrom Shocks the Dakar Rally World with Stage Seven Triumph as Henk Lategan Crashes and Burns!

In an electrifying twist during Stage Seven of the prestigious Dakar Rally, Mattias Ekstrom and co-driver Emil Bergkvist emerged from the dust and chaos to seize an unexpected victory, leaving fans and competitors alike in a state of disbelief. The stage, stretching a grueling 459km from Riyadh to Wadi Ad Dawasir, was a rollercoaster ride that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

As the clock ticked down and the rally cars roared through the desert, it was a nail-biting showdown that felt more like a high-octane WRC sprint than a marathon endurance test. With the top ten competitors separated by a mere 61 seconds at the 60km mark, the tension was palpable. Ekstrom initially held a slim 30-second lead over South Africa’s Henk Lategan, who was revving up his Gazoo Racing W2RC Hilux and preparing to charge ahead.

By the time they hit km 107, Lategan had taken the lead, stretching his advantage to 58 seconds over the relentless Swede. The South African showed no signs of slowing down, with his lead ballooning to an impressive 1 minute and 44 seconds by km 155. But just when it seemed Lategan was on a clear path to victory, Ekstrom found his rhythm and began to claw back time, narrowing the gap to a mere 27 seconds by km 295.

In a dramatic turn of events, Lategan regained the virtual overall lead at km 375, but fate had other plans. The final 42km turned the race upside down, with Lategan plummeting to a shocking 13th place, trailing a staggering 8½ minutes behind Ekstrom’s Ford Raptor. The details surrounding Lategan’s downfall remain murky, but the implications are clear—his dreams of glory have been dashed.

As it stands, Nasser Al-Attiyah still holds the overall lead, despite a less-than-stellar 11th place finish today. Ekstrom’s stunning performance catapults him into second place, just 4 minutes and 47 seconds behind Al-Attiyah, while Lategan slips to a precarious fourth position, just six seconds behind the formidable duo of Nani Roma and Alex Haro.

The battle for the podium was fierce, featuring a thrilling contest among Lucas Moraes (Dacia Sandrider), Joao Ferreira, Toby Price (Toyota Hilux), and Mitch Guthrie’s Raptor. Remarkably, these four were still within a dramatic 61 seconds of each other as they approached the final stretch, but it was Ferreira who emerged victorious, clinching second place with a narrow 28-second advantage over Guthrie. Price and Moraes rounded out the top five, showcasing just how competitive this stage truly was.

In the backdrop of the chaos, legends like Sebastien Loeb and Seth Quintero fought valiantly, finishing sixth and seventh respectively, with the two only five seconds apart. Mathieu Serradori managed to secure eighth place in his Century Racing CR-7, while Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma added to Ford’s dominance by finishing ninth and tenth.

Luciano Benavides showcased his unstoppable speed, completing the stage in just four hours, leaving Edgar Canet and Adrien Van Beveren trailing by nearly five minutes. The overall standings remain unchanged at the top, with Daniel Sanders leading the pack, closely followed by Ricky Brabec, who is 4 minutes and 25 seconds adrift.

As the dust settles on this monumental stage, one thing is clear: the Dakar Rally is as unpredictable as ever, and the battle for the crown is far from over. With each twist and turn, the stakes rise, and the excitement only intensifies as we look ahead to the next thrilling chapter of this legendary race!

Tags: 2025-dakar-rally2025-ford-championshiphenk-lategan-2mattias-ekstrom-2Nasser Al-Attiyahtoyota-gazoo-racing-w2rc
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