Every Dakar begins quietly. No trophies. No headlines yet. Just a short test that reminds everyone what lies ahead.

For Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR W2RC), the 2026 Dakar Rally got underway with the opening Prologue near Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Twenty-two kilometres long, fast, narrow in places, and unforgiving of mistakes, it served as the first competitive outing for the all-new DKR GR Hilux.

It also marked the opening move in Toyota’s defence of its World Rally-Raid Championship title.

First Test for the New Hilux

After months of development and preparation, the new DKR GR Hilux finally faced competition conditions. Built around a new tubular chassis and featuring a strengthened transmission, the car was designed with Dakar’s extremes firmly in mind.

The Prologue offered an immediate taste of that variety. Crews climbed through soft desert sand in the opening half before dropping into bumpy, rocky canyon sections on the way back to the assembly point. Short in distance, but sharp enough to punish hesitation.

Quintero Sets the Early Benchmark

TGR W2RC approached the opening day conservatively, prioritising a clean run over outright risk. That approach paid off.

Seth Quintero and navigator Andrew Short led Toyota’s charge, bringing their #203 DKR GR Hilux home in fifth position. Just 14 seconds covered the gap to the lead — a strong opening statement without overreaching.

Price Begins a New Dakar Chapter

Two-time Dakar motorcycle winner Toby Price made his first competitive Dakar appearance in the Ultimate category with TGR W2RC, sharing the #204 DKR GR Hilux with navigator Armand Monleón.

Despite running into dust from competitors ahead, the pairing gained time during the second half of the Prologue and finished 16th. More importantly, the first kilometres together passed without drama — an essential step in a long rally.

Early Setback for Lategan

For Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, the day unfolded differently. Running inside the top five around halfway, their progress was halted by a puncture caused by an impact directly on the tyre valve.

The delay dropped the #202 DKR GR Hilux down the order to 47th at the finish, 1 minute 38 seconds behind stage winners Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist, who led a Ford Racing one-two. Guillaume de Mévius and Mathieu Baumel completed the Prologue podium for X-Raid.

Voices From the Bivouac

Lategan was direct about the setback.

“That was not a good start to Dakar 2026 for us. We were seriously unlucky because we hit a rock, which struck exactly on the tyre valve and caused a puncture. On a short stage like that, when you have a puncture, unfortunately you lose a lot of positions. There’s a long, long way to go and we’ll keep pushing.”

Quintero focused on the bigger picture.

“The Prologue went really well for us. It was a good start to our Dakar, and it’s been nice to get things going with our new DKR GR Hilux. A strong top-five finish is promising, and I think it’s only going to get better.”

For Price, the Prologue was about settling in.

“It was a fast stage, so it’s been nice to shake the cobwebs out. It’s the first time for me working with Armand on the Dakar and it went well. The car feels strong and I feel confident in it. We’re in the race, so let’s go for it on Stage 1.”

Dakar Proper Begins

The Prologue is only a curtain-raiser. Stage 1 begins on Sunday and brings the first full test: 518 kilometres in total, including 305 kilometres against the clock around Yanbu. Rocky sections, narrow passages and faster sandy terrain await.

Fourteen days remain. The Dakar has only just started asking questions.