Belgium plays major role in first days of 2026 Dakar Rally
The 2026 Dakar Rally could not have started better for Belgium. On Sunday, Guillaume De Mévius won the first stage of the iconic off-road event. Belgium-built Toyotas dominated the Monday's second stage, claiming the top four positions.
American Seth Quintero won the second stage of the Dakar Rally for cars on Monday, driving a Toyota Hilux developed by the Belgian company Overdrive Racing. Toyota ended up dominating the top five - only the third time in the history of the Dakar that a brand has achieved such a feat - and the cars in the top four were all built in Belgium.
Overdrive Racing team manager Jean-Marc Fortin described the result as exceptional. "The only takeaway is that an all-Belgian car has secured the first four places of a Dakar stage. That is phenomenal for our little country," he said.
Toyota’s performance capped a strong day for Belgian involvement. Co-driver Fabian Lurquin moved into the overall lead alongside five-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah in a Dacia. The duo finished eighth in stage two but took advantage of consistent performances to top the general classification. For Lurquin, it marked his first day leading the Dakar Rally.
"An all-Belgian car has secured the first four places of a Dakar stage. That is phenomenal for our little country"
All-Attiyah and Lurquin took over the lead from Belgian driver De Mévius, who won the first stage alongside French co-driver Mathieu Baumel. "We are very happy with this win. One of our goals has already been achieved," De Mévius said on Sunday.
The win was particularly notable for Baumel, who returned to the Dakar with a leg prosthesis following an amputation last year. "Returning to the Dakar was already a victory for Mathieu," De Mévius added. "Winning the first stage made it even more special."
Despite starting first on Monday and losing time as the route opener, De Mévius managed to limit the damage in the general rankings. The Belgian-French duo are currently in third place, trailing Al-Attiyah and Lurquin at 1:09.
A local watches X-Raid Team Belgian driver Guillaume de Mevius and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel © PHOTO GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP
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