Century Racing at the Dakar Rally 2026: 6th overall and the 3rd manufacturer across the finish line.

The Dakar Rally covered nearly 8,000 kilometres across Saudi Arabia, with stages running through AlUla, Riyadh and Bisha. With the assistance crew having travelled over 4000 kilometers in total.  Drivers and teams faced unforgiving challenges that tested endurance. Our office and accommodation container was lifted back onto the transport truck following the event. The unit was designed and built in 2025 and shipped on the final vessel to dock in Jeddah before the rally.

The container replaces tents, providing proper sleeping quarters for the crew and a dedicated workspace for the engineers. It is also fitted with a 2,000-litre water tank, used for vehicle washing and general servicing needs. The jacking system is a custom solution, developed due to the absence of side-loader trailers in Saudi Arabia. Installation of the four corner legs took several hours, and they will now remain permanently fitted for future deployments.

Throughout the rally, crews were heavily impacted by punctures, cutting it fine on some finishing kilometers with no spares left. Despite the harsh terrain, the cars remained stable and comfortable. While the opening stages had not delivered standout results, there were constructive signs. The team benefits from favourable starting positions for the first few stages, and only minor adjustments are required during service. As is often the case at Dakar, the early days demand patience and refinement before settling into a consistent race rhythm. 

The turning point came on Stage 10, a 420 km marathon special around Bisha. Mathieu Serradori and Loïc Minaudier delivered a historic performance, claiming Century Racing’s first-ever stage win in the Dakar’s Ultimate Category.

With a commanding margin of over six minutes against five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, the result cemented Century Racing’s status as a genuine contender. Mathieu encountered a low-voltage alarm early in this stage and chose to switch off non-essential systems to conserve power. He completed the majority of the route without air conditioning, with cockpit temperatures estimated in the low 40 degrees Celsius. He pushed consistently throughout the day, and the team credited recent suspension upgrades for making a measurable difference in performance and durability. Both Brian and Laia described the stage as one of the toughest they have experienced at Dakar. The cars endured extreme conditions and the team faced an extensive service session. At this point, a full “rest day” rebuild with multiple components to inspect and service was close.

Throughout the rally, both crews displayed remarkable adaptability. Brian and Leonard battled dust, sharp rocks and multiple punctures to maintain competitive stage results, finishing 16th overall, while Mathieu and Loïc secured 6th overall. The car’s reliability together with the team’s preparation and strategic execution were key factors in these strong overall results, placing Century Racing the 3rd manufacturer across the finish line, ahead of Toyota and Mini, just behind Dacia and Ford.

Century Racing Customer Efforts 

For our customer teams across the bivouac, the rally was a story of ambition and the ultimate adventure under extreme conditions. 

Dutch brothers Tim and Tom Coronel headed into the 2026 Dakar Rally with renewed enthusiasm after discovering the thrill of four-wheel drive competition. For Tim, who marked his 20th Dakar this year, the switch to a 4x4 proved a revelation. “Now I understand why others prefer to drive in 4x4,” he reflected, describing the experience as both easier and more exhilarating, particularly in the vast dunes of the Empty Quarter, where he counted some of his most memorable moments despite an alternator failure before the final stage. Tom echoed the sentiment, admitting they “should have made this switch ten years ago,” noting the ability to attack dunes more aggressively and embrace greater risk. With the latest updates from Century applied - alongside what they call their own “Coronel touch” -  the brothers continue to refine their car year after year. Yet for them, Dakar is more than outright results. While a top-20 finish would be a fitting celebration for Tim’s milestone entry, the duo see the rally as a way of life: a survival adventure they share not only with each other, but with Dutch television audiences through daily content from the bivouac. Known in the paddock as dependable “fast assistance” for leading crews, the Coronels embrace their role as determined adventurers rather than outright contenders — proof that, as Tim puts it, once you do Dakar, you simply can’t stop.

The Coronel Rally Team’s 2026 campaign embodied persistence and momentum. Tim and Tom Coronel delivered their strongest performance in the final stage, finishing 24th just over five minutes behind the stage winner in the 100-kilometre loop around Yanbu. Their consistency and tactical driving underscored both the team’s growth throughout the event and the reliability of the Century CR7 platform. The brothers highlighted how determination and teamwork defined their Dakar, crediting strong partnerships and engineering confidence for allowing them to push hard through ever shifting environments and technical challenges.

Other manufacturers used Dakar as both a competitive arena and a proving ground.  Laia Sanz and EBRO Audax Motorsport completed their Dakar together inside the Top 20 overall. 2024’s retirement was not easy for L.S. After all the effort it had taken just to stand on the start line, and with such positive feelings about the race, it truly felt like a year to achieve something special. In hindsight, it has made the achievement of 14 consecutive finisher medals even more meaningful. But as doors close, new opportunities open. This season marks a fresh chapter with manufacturer Ebro and a new 4x4 T1+ vehicle. While there is still plenty of work ahead, the long-term potential is exciting.

In preparation, L.S. has covered more kilometres in a car than ever before — competing in Baja Aragón, racing in Morocco, and making a debut in the GR Yaris Cup, all of which have helped sharpen the edge ahead of Dakar. Encouraged by the performance in Morocco, where most of the leading drivers were present, there is reason for optimism in this first year with the new project - though expectations remain grounded. The clear objective is to improve on the 15th-place overall finish from 2024, but realism is key. The team is still building experience together, and rally raid competition is currently in a golden era, with a higher level than ever before in the car category.  Over the 14 days, the Spanish-Italian pairing showcased speed and reliability, with standout stage results and minimal technical issues. For EBRO, the successful debut validated its ambitious return to top-level rally-raid competition. Proving the potential of the s800 XRR. 

Spanish brand Santana returned to the rally with Jesús Calleja and Edu Blanco, aiming to re-establish its international motorsport presence and validate its technology in extreme conditions. Although their competitive run ended prematurely after a heavy accident in Stage 5. The incident underscored the dangers of navigation with limited visibility, while also demonstrating the robustness of their safety systems. Both crewmembers  escaped unharmed, reinforcing Dakar’s dual role as a crucible for innovation and safety.

Shiver Offroad reflected on a proud result with cars classified in positions P42 and P45, noting that while they had hoped to field three entries, Dakar’s unforgiving nature tested resources and resilience. “That’s Dakar,” the team acknowledged—a sentiment echoed across the paddock as competitors faced attrition and technical challenges throughout the two-week marathon.

As the dust settled in Yanbu on January the 17th, Dakar had once again tested every limit, human and mechanical. For Century Racing, the rally was a story of endurance, consistency and a breakthrough triumph, culminating in a stage victory and top-ten overall finishes. Across the field, competitors demonstrated that the Dakar is far more than a race: It is the ultimate proving ground where preparation along with resilience, defines success.