Joan Font delivered a very satisfactory first outing at the Dakar Rally 2026 in a prologue stage of just 22 kilometres, which he completed without any issues and at a strong pace. The Catalan driver, competing this year in a BE Racing Can-Am Maverick X3, finished the rally’s opening timed section in 28th place in the Challenger category, posting a time of 14 minutes 36 seconds, 2m15s behind the stage winner.
The prologue was held on the outskirts of Yanbu, on fast tracks alternating with some more winding and rocky sectors. Although the time did not count towards the overall classification, it carried strategic importance, as it determined the starting order for the first stage—particularly relevant for drivers aiming for the front positions.
After the finish, Joan Font was pleased with his debut in the competition: “It was a good prologue. With Adrià Guillem we were able to test the car and confirm everything is 100%. It was 22 fairly fast kilometres; we’re happy because we found the perfect set-up for the terrain. It felt short,” said the driver from Vic.
One of the key points to assess on this first day of competition was the level of understanding between driver and co-driver, as Font and Guillem had only shared the cockpit during the ten days of testing carried out in Morocco last October along with the rest of the team. “We understood each other really well,” Font said of his co-driver, who, in addition to navigating, has extensive experience as a mechanic.
As in previous editions, Joan Font approaches the Dakar with the main goal of providing support to other competitors. This time, his mission is to assist two young Saudi talents from the Saudi Next Gen programme, Abdullah Alshegawi and Hamza Bakhashab, who are making their Dakar debuts this year in Can-Am Maverick X3 machines in the SSV category. As a result, to some extent, Font’s own race will be shaped by how the rally unfolds for both of them, who are also competing in a different category.
Beyond that, Joan Font has nearly 8,000 kilometres of Dakar ahead of him to achieve his personal goal of finishing the rally. The first 517 kilometres make up Stage 1, which will take place this Sunday, January 4, once again starting and finishing in Yanbu. It will be a relatively contained day in terms of distance—305 kilometres against the clock and 213 kilometres of liaison—but demanding due to the variety of terrain, with rocky sections, fast tracks, sandy sectors and even small dunes. An ideal setting to start getting a true feel for what is widely regarded as the toughest race in the world.
Source: Joan Font official press release
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
