Stage 8 of the 2026 Dakar Rally delivered one of the toughest tests of the second week so far, with a long, fast loop around Wadi Ad Dawasir combining extensive dune sections, rocky canyons and riverbeds. For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa, it proved to be a day of persistence and reward, highlighted by a superb stage win and solid progress across all three crews.
Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (#213) produced a standout performance to claim victory on the stage, pushing hard through traffic and dust to secure the win by the narrowest of margins. Starting further back in the field, the pair made steady progress throughout the day, maintaining a relentless pace across the varied terrain.
“Today was quite difficult, especially with the dust and traffic,” said Variawa. “But we managed to pick them off one by one and push hard towards the end. Winning by three seconds shows how close it was, but I’m really happy. It’s our second stage win and the car was amazing.”
Cazalet echoed those sentiments, pointing to the importance of precision and commitment over such a long special stage. The result lifts Variawa and Cazalet to 13th overall as the rally moves into its next decisive phase.
João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro (#240) endured a more challenging day, picking up a puncture just a few kilometres into the special. Running second on the road thereafter, the duo was forced to manage pace carefully through difficult visibility and changing conditions.
“It was a long stage and we had an early puncture,” said Ferreira. “After that, the pace was difficult because we were second on the road. But we’re alive and now it’s time to prepare for the second and last marathon.”
Ferreira and Palmeiro finished Stage 8 in 17th position, +7:25 from the stage winner, and remain inside the top 10 overall in 10th place heading into the Marathon, +35:08 from the rally lead.
For Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena (#218), Stage 8 was a case of strong pace tempered by setbacks. The pair ran well through the opening half of the stage before a slow puncture and more complex navigation late in the day cost time.
“It went really well until about halfway,” said Botterill. “Then we picked up a slow puncture and navigation got a bit tough towards the end. But it wasn’t a bad day in the car and we’re in a good position for tomorrow.”
Botterill and Mena completed the stage in 18th position, +7:55 from the winner, and sit 17th overall as the field prepares for the next major challenge.
Attention now turns to Stage 9, which marks the start of the second Marathon Stage of Dakar 2026. The route runs from Wadi Ad Dawasir to the Marathon bivouac, featuring a 410 km special stage and no service assistance at the finish. With extensive dirt tracks, sand and dune sections, Stage 9 will place renewed emphasis on mechanical sympathy, navigation accuracy and strategic decision-making as crews prepare to service their own cars overnight before tackling the second half of the Marathon the following day.
Source: TGRSA
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