Sainz, exhausted: “This is one of the hardest stages I’ve done”

The stage 2 of Dakar 2023 It’s a nightmare for everyone because of the many stones, rocks and dirt roads that are in more than 400 km of the special. Carlos Sainz there was further difficulty in opening the track. He spent 5 hours and 5 minutes fighting hard against his urge to run. Today is an important day, of pure resistance, of a fundamental paradox: slow down to finish sooner. Going too fast can cost you a race. Tell that to Loeb, who played three times and lost over an hour and 26 minutes. Carlos did the right thing but his concentration was exhausted during those 5+ hours. He did so, holding the lead with 2 minutes and 5 seconds to go Al Attiyah. He lost 5 minutes to the Qatari, but in stage 3 Nasser had to open up and Carlos would have another option to attack after experiencing what he told MD was “one of the hardest stages I’ve ever done”.

“We’ve been punctured once. And then, the opening was very difficult. Many stones, many many stones, many test areas, many areas of great patience and slow down to not puncture, and being the first car, well, more. It was the discipline of going slowly so as not to puncture, because we have a lot of rocks and it’s very easy”, he commented after the special.

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COMPLICATED ROUTE FOR CARS:

“Obviously… we spent 5 hours on the special. So it wasn’t easy. It was one of the hardest special stages I’ve ever done (in Dakar). It was very difficult.”

NAVIGATION

“It wasn’t easy, in one place we lost a bit, but nothing, we went well, great”.

LOEB LOST A LOT, CARLOS’ PATIENCE ON THE ROCKS, IS THE KEY.

“Of course. I played once and since then I’ve been even slower and won’t play another one, because the next time it’s waiting for two hours…”.

WANT TO HAVE MORE SPEED STAGE?

“Well, we give it to places that we give everything we can. Remember that in 400 km of the stage there is everything”.

EXHAUSTED

It is a stage of great concentration, all the while looking closely at the stones…”

CARLOS JR CHECKS THE STAGE WITH HIS FATHER AT THE END

“Yeah, man, I think he, seeing from above what it looks like, appreciates what happened.”