Ford Roars to Victory as Mitch Guthrie Seizes Dakar 2026 Overall Lead in Thrilling Stage 3 Showdown!
In a jaw-dropping turn of events at the Dakar Rally 2026, Mitch Guthrie has catapulted himself into the overall lead following a sensational performance in Stage 3, dominating the competition in a Ford 1-2 finish. This remarkable stage, a grueling 421 kilometers around the breathtaking landscapes of Al-Ula, saw Ford reclaim its supremacy after a lackluster showing just one day prior, where none of its entrants managed a top-10 finish.
The stage kicked off with two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom setting the early pace, establishing himself as Ford’s formidable benchmark. However, it was Guthrie who stole the spotlight. Initially struggling and sitting outside the top 10, he faced a daunting two-minute deficit to the front-runners. Yet, in a stunning display of grit and determination, he clawed back, narrowing the gap to Ekstrom to a mere 16 seconds by the halfway mark. The turning point came 303 kilometers into the stage when Guthrie overtook Ekstrom, who ultimately fell behind dramatically, losing over seven minutes in the final stretch.
Guthrie’s stellar performance culminated in his first-ever stage win in the Ultimate category, finishing with a commanding lead of 2 minutes and 27 seconds. As the dust settled, MD Sport’s Martin Prokop surged from fifth to a well-deserved second place, solidifying a triumphant Ford 1-2 finish.
Meanwhile, the fortunes of Toyota took a nosedive. After an astounding 1-2-3-4-5 lockout on Monday, their drivers struggled to make an impact in this stage. Only Guy Botterill managed to rescue some pride, finishing third but trailing the leaders by nearly six minutes.
Dacia’s star drivers, including the renowned Nasser Al-Attiyah and the legendary Sebastien Loeb, faced a nightmare scenario. Both drivers hemorrhaged time, ultimately conceding over 20 minutes to the leaders, which allowed Guthrie to soar from 14th place to the coveted overall lead, now sitting 26 seconds ahead of Prokop.
With the two-part marathon stage looming, Ford now dominates the general classification with Guthrie leading the pack, followed closely by Prokop, Ekstrom, Carlos Sainz Sr., and Nani Roma, creating a formidable Ford quintet in the top five. Dacia’s Lucas Moraes is now the highest-ranked non-Ford driver, sitting in sixth place, trailed by teammate Cristina Gutierrez in seventh. Matthieu Serradori showed remarkable prowess, finishing just behind Sainz, while Ekstrom’s tough end to the stage saw him settle for ninth.
As the rally progresses into its next challenge, the question remains: Can Ford maintain this momentum, or will Dacia and Toyota rise from the ashes? The adrenaline-fueled drama of Dakar 2026 continues to unfold, and the world watches with bated breath!
