We have officially begun our participation in the 2026 Dakar Rally. In Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, we experienced a very special day as we successfully completed the prologue and took part in the ceremonial start of the toughest race in the world, marking the beginning of our Dakar adventure.
At the wheel of the Santana Pick-Up T1+, Jesús Calleja and Edu Blanco tackled the first competitive kilometres in a prologue that was far more than a simple warm-up. The route, which ran through small reliefs and gravel tracks, demanded precision, sensitivity and maximum concentration, allowing us to validate systems and confirm the positive sensations built up during previous testing.
This opening day confirmed that everything is working as planned. The car performed reliably, the team operated with precision from the very start, and the bivouac already reflects that unique Dakar atmosphere that can only be understood by living it from the inside.
At the wheel of the Santana Pick-Up T1+, Jesús Calleja and Edu Blanco tackled the first competitive kilometres in a prologue that was far more than a simple warm-up. The route, which ran through small reliefs and gravel tracks, demanded precision, sensitivity and maximum concentration, allowing us to validate systems and confirm the positive sensations built up during previous testing.
This opening day confirmed that everything is working as planned. The car performed reliably, the team operated with precision from the very start, and the bivouac already reflects that unique Dakar atmosphere that can only be understood by living it from the inside.
We know that the Dakar cannot be won in the prologue, but it can certainly be lost there. With that in mind, we approached this first challenge with caution, completing it without any issues in 12 minutes, 49 seconds and five tenths, before driving up the start ramp and experiencing a truly symbolic moment: seeing the Santana name on the world’s toughest rally, a competition that perfectly reflects our core values of endurance, reliability and true off-road spirit.
Tomorrow, the race truly begins with the first stage, a loop starting and finishing in Yanbu, featuring more than 300 kilometres against the clock and marking the real start of the Dakar 2026. For us, this is just the beginning.
Tomorrow, the race truly begins with the first stage, a loop starting and finishing in Yanbu, featuring more than 300 kilometres against the clock and marking the real start of the Dakar 2026. For us, this is just the beginning.