Desafío Ruta 40 – Stage 3: Loeb doesn't give up, Lategan is the new boss!

Besides Henk Latgan's takeover, the third stage of the Desafio Ruta 40 YPF marked a real turning point in this 2026 edition. On the 409 timed kilometers around San Rafael – the longest special stage of the week – the gaps widened, several favorites faltered and some leaders confirmed that they had perfect control of their subject.

Cars: Lategan emerges at the right time

Throughout this third marathon stage, the race descended into chaos. Carlos Sainz He quickly disappeared from contention following a mechanical problem on his Ford Raptor, while Lucas Moraes saw his hopes dashed after an incident with João Ferreira. The Portuguese driver was leading the stage and the overall standings before this collision, which completely changed the standings.

In this context, Lategan demonstrated his consistency and strategic thinking. Without necessarily dominating the competition, the driver Toyota perfectly exploited the circumstances to secure his first victory on the Desafio Ruta 40 and take the lead in the general classification.

Behind him, Sébastien Loeb continues its gradual climb. The Frenchman put in a solid performance and finished second for the day, confirming the growing strength of the Dacia project on the Argentinian tracks. Seth Quintero completes the top three and keeps Toyota under constant pressure.

Nasser Al Attiyah's performance also deserves highlighting. Forced to open the road for the entire stage, the Qatari driver limited his losses with a very convincing fourth place. A smart performance from a seasoned veteran that now puts him on the provisional podium.

Stage 3 Car Classification

General Auto after Stage 3

Motorcycles: Sanders on demonstration

Opening a special stage of over 400 kilometers could have been a disadvantage. Daniel Sanders turned it into a strength. The Australian continues to impress with his mastery of the terrain and his precise navigation. Despite his role as the course opener, the KTM rider never seemed to struggle and secured another stage victory with remarkable authority. His teammate Luciano Benavides completed the KTM one-two, while Tosha Schareina salvaged some pride for Honda with a third-place finish.

Overall, Sanders is now starting to build a significant lead. His pace, but especially his consistency since the start, allows him to control the race with a real safety margin. KTM remains undefeated since the start of the rally and now seems to have a clear advantage over Honda.

General Moto after Stage 3

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