Dakar Rally 2026: Ford Leads Car Class in Stage 3; Strong Runs from Takale and Hero MotoSport
Sanjay Takale tops the H3 class in Stage 3 at Dakar 2026, while Hero MotoSports sees Cornejo briefly lead, Branch finish safely, and Ebster withdraws.
By Divyam Dubey
Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally 2026 felt like a turning point in the cars category, especially for fans watching the Ford story unfold. Mitch Guthrie Jr looked fully in control from the opening kilometres and never gave the stage a chance to bite back. Driving the Ford Ranger Raptor, he focused on clean lines, safe navigation and steady speed across the long special. That approach paid off with an Ultimate class stage win and Ford’s first-ever Dakar stage victory. That tidy drive also reshaped the overall picture
While rivals from Dacia and Toyota dropped time on the demanding Stage 3 route, Guthrie avoided trouble and climbed to the top of the overall standings. It was a classic Dakar lesson in action, where smart decisions and rhythm matter as much as outright pace, especially with harder stages still to come.
In the bike category, Tosha Schareina delivered a controlled ride to win Stage 3 for Monster Energy Honda HRC. He handled tricky navigation zones without taking risks and crossed the line ahead of team-mate Ricky Brabec, locking out a Honda one-two. The result keeps Schareina firmly in the overall podium fight as the rally begins to settle into a tough rhythm.
Stage 3 stayed true to what Dakar does best. A timed special of around 421km, paired with long liaison sections across Saudi Arabia, pushed both riders and drivers to manage tyres and stay sharp on navigation. With the marathon bivouac approaching, many competitors clearly chose preservation over aggression to protect their rallies.
Indian in Dakar 2026
Indian motorsport fans had plenty to follow thanks to Sanjay Takale. Driving the Toyota HDJ 100, Takale has already made history as the first Indian to win a stage in the four-wheeler category by topping the H3 class earlier in the rally. He has continued that form by finishing first in H3 across the Prologue and Stages 1, 2 and 3, underlining a consistent run as Dakar Rally 2026 progresses.
On the other hand, the Hero MotoSports Team Rally had a mixed but eventful Dakar Rally 2026 Stage 3. Ross Branch began the stage feeling confident and enjoyed the flowing opening section, but a few small errors after the refuelling zone cost him time as the terrain tightened, though he completed the stage safely.
Nacho Cornejo showed a strong early pace and briefly led the special, becoming the first Hero rider to lead a stage this year at the 41 km mark, before a heavy fall around 140 km forced a stop to change his tablet. He recovered to finish safely. Tobias Ebster was forced to retire after a crash early in the stage resulted in a fractured scaphoid bone.
Next up is Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally 2026, the first leg of the marathon stage, where riders will cover 526 km of harsh terrain.
