Defending car champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi faces an uphill battle at the 2026 Dakar Rally after a troubled opening stage, in which he lost significant time and incurred a heavy penalty.<br>Shortly after his Dakar victory in 2025, Al-Rajhi and navigator Timo Gottschalk suffered injuries that forced them to miss several rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship. The Saudi driver and his German ...<a class='more' href='https://www.motorsport.com/dakar/news/defending-dakar-winner-yazeed-al-rajhi-explains-disastrous-opening-stage/10787947/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=RSS-ALL&utm_term=News&utm_content=www'>Keep reading</a>