The fifth stage of the Dakar Rally 2026 will be marked by the incident involving the adventurer and presenter Jesús Calleja.
During the second part of the marathon stage (a critical section where the racers have no external mechanical support), Calleja’s vehicle and his co-driver, Eduardo Blanco, suffered a rollover that forced them to withdraw from the day’s competition.
Details of the dramatic accident of Jesús Calleja and his co-pilot
The event took place after 271 km of the special stage and, due to their position in the starting order, the team was navigating in a dense trail of dust generated by the vehicles in front of them. In an attempt to make up ground and gain positions, Calleja increased speed in an area of practically zero visibility.
Wat een crash van de Spanjaard Jésus Calleja! 😱
Gelukkig zijn er omstanders die Calleja en navigator Eduardo Blanco direct te hulp schoten.#rtlgp #dakar2026 pic.twitter.com/AtlVVVUMF9d– RTL GP (@RTLGP) January 8, 2026
In the midst of the dust, the driver failed to spot an irregularity in the terrain. Upon impacting a pothole, the car lost contact with the ground and hit head-on, causing the vehicle to roll over several times.
Despite the spectacular impact and the material damage, both Calleja and Blanco managed to leave the passenger compartment under their own power, confirming that both are in good health and without serious injuries.
Calleja’s prior warning to the organization
This accident occurs just a few days after the Spanish driver formally expressed his displeasure to the International Automobile Federation (FIA). Calleja had protested the stewards’ decision to delay his starting position in previous stages, a move that condemned him to ride behind slower vehicles and face extreme visibility conditions due to suspended dust.
The presenter had warned about the risks of this situation, going so far as to directly question those in charge of the organization as to who would assume responsibility in the event of an accident. According to his testimony, competing under these circumstances forces the drivers to make risky decisions blindly, a difficulty that was also pointed out by other participants, such as Isidre Esteve, who agreed on the danger posed by the accumulation of dust in the desert.
Dust cloud risk in the desert
The incident highlights one of the biggest dangers of the Dakar: the trail of dirt left by the competitors. Calleja explained that, once caught in that “cloud”, getting out of it is an extremely complex task that requires accelerating in risky conditions to be able to overtake safely.
For the moment, the team is assessing the damage to the vehicle to determine if it is possible to continue in the race. What was initially expected to be a stage to make up positions ended up being a reminder of the toughness of this competition, although with the relief that the car’s safety protocols allowed both crew members to escape unharmed from a major crash.
