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Mattias Ekstrom snatches victory from Henk Lategan’s grasp in dramatic Dakar 2026 Stage 7 showdown

Miguel Cunha by Miguel Cunha
January 11, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Mattias Ekstrom snatches victory from Henk Lategan’s grasp in dramatic Dakar 2026 Stage 7 showdown

Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergkvist on their Ford Raptor T1+ of the Ford M-Sport Team during the Stage 7 of the Dakar 2026, on January 11, 2026 between Riyadh and Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia // Florent Gooden / DPPI / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202601110111 // Usage for editorial use only //

Mattias Ekstrom Clinches Dramatic Victory in Stage 7 of Dakar 2026 as Henk Lategan Collapses Under Pressure

In a breathtaking turn of events at the 2026 Dakar Rally, Ford’s Mattias Ekstrom seized victory in Stage 7 after a heart-stopping finale that saw frontrunner Henk Lategan of Toyota face catastrophic misfortune. Lategan, who had been leading the stage with a solid margin, saw his hopes of both stage glory and overall dominance dashed as he suffered a critical setback in the final stretch.

As the grueling 459km stage unfolded between Riyadh and Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Lategan appeared poised for triumph, commanding a 1m46s lead heading into the final checkpoint. However, disaster struck just before the finish line, and with it, over 10 minutes of heartache as he plummeted to a shocking 13th position. Ekstrom capitalized on this misfortune, crossing the finish line a staggering 4m27s ahead of Toyota’s Joao Ferreira, marking a pivotal moment in the rally.

Lategan’s downfall was not merely a fleeting hiccup; it was a dramatic collapse that reshuffled the entire leaderboard. “We were having a really nice day,” Lategan recounted, reflecting on his race. “But then there was one section—a small bump followed by a dip—and as we hit it, the damper broke. It snapped clean off in the middle. The car was hanging on one side.” The Toyota driver was forced to stop and replace the faulty damper, a process that proved both time-consuming and damaging. “It took a bit of time to fix that,” he lamented, “but hopefully we can have two more good days from now on and then we’ll be back in it; it’s really tough.”

This unexpected twist not only denied Lategan a shot at becoming the first repeat stage winner of the 2026 event but also saw him relinquish his provisional lead in the overall standings. After an impressive performance earlier, where he had overtaken Nasser Al-Attiyah at the 375km mark, Lategan now finds himself in fourth place overall, trailing the leader by a daunting 7m21s.

Meanwhile, Al-Attiyah managed to retain his position at the top of the overall rankings despite finishing in 11th for the stage. However, his lead has been narrowed significantly, with Ekstrom now just 4m47s behind, and Dacia’s Nani Roma climbing to third due to Lategan’s dramatic fall from grace.

The stage saw other competitors jockey for position, with Mitch Guthrie clinching third, just shy of the podium, and Toby Price narrowly missing out on the stage rostrum by a mere six seconds. The competition remains fierce, with Dacia’s Sebastien Loeb and the Ford duo of Carlos Sainz Sr and Nani Roma rounding out the top 10, all within a striking 26-minute gap.

As the Dakar Rally heads into its final stages, the tension is palpable. Drivers are gearing up for the remaining challenges, with Ekstrom emerging as a fierce contender, ready to capitalize on any further misfortune that may befall his rivals. With two stages left to navigate, will Lategan recover and reclaim his place at the top, or will Ekstrom and his Ford charge ahead to secure victory in this treacherous desert showdown? Only time will tell as the world’s most grueling motorsport event continues to unfold.

Tags: 2005-motogp-world-championship2025-ford-championship2025-toyota-usa-track-and-field-championshipsDaciadakar-rally-2026henk-lategan-2mattias-ekstrom-2Nasser Al-Attiyah
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