Motoring News

Factory Ford driver Mattias Ekstrom drew first blood in the 2026 Dakar Rally, edging out team-mate Mitch Guthrie in Saturday’s Prologue.
The 48th edition of Dakar kicked off in earnest on 3 January, with a total of 72 cars taking the start in the Ultimate class. The Prologue featured a 95km route around the Saudi Arabian port city of Yanbu, though only 22km were timed, resulting in minimal ...Keep reading

Land Rover's Defender has been a familiar sight in the Dakar Rally for many years, but the British brand has never before lined up with a full factory team. That will change in 2026: the Defender will foray into the world's biggest rally-raid with three factory entries, with 14-time Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel spearheading the team's line-up.
Notably, the British manufacturer has opted ...Keep reading

Four-time Dakar Rally-winning navigator Mathieu Baumel has returned to the event this year, just 11 months after a serious accident and the amputation of his right leg.
Baumel was on his way to Rally Monte Carlo at the beginning of 2025 when he was struck by a vehicle after stopping to help stranded motorists.
The crash caused such severe injuries to his right leg that it had to be ...Keep reading

Oscar Piastri has reflected on the contractual saga that occurred in mid-2022, when he signed a McLaren Formula 1 deal as an Alpine junior.
Piastri joined the Renault Sport Academy, as it was then called, for the 2020 season after narrowly clinching the Formula Renault Eurocup title.
The Australian went on to win the F3 and F2 championships as a rookie, but had to spend 2022 on the sidelines ...Keep reading