X-raid Mini’s Guillaume de Mevius topped the opening stage of the Dakar Rally on Sunday, overhauling long-time leader Mattias Ekstrom in a dramatic late turnaround.<br>Ford driver Ekstrom controlled much of the day’s 305km stage around Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, grabbing the lead at the second checkpoint on 70km before stretching out an advantage of over a minute in his Ford Raptor.<br>De Mevius ...<a class='more' href='https://www.autosport.com/dakar/news/dakar-2026-stage-1-mini-snatches-win-from-ford-as-mattias-ekstrom-drops-back/10787914/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=RSS-ALL&utm_term=News&utm_content=uk'>Keep reading</a>