Disaster for Sainz and Peterhansel: Al-Attiyah was left alone

There are still 8 stages left for the Dakar. In fact, there are days that are eagerly awaited because of the tension and nerves that can be experienced during the race. Without further ado, this Friday’s stage (stage 7) was made into a marathon type stage with only 2 maximum help times for each car. It adds spice. There is a stage marked on the calendar as complicated, like stage 8, the second part of this little marathon, which seems complicated. And of course, it remained unexplored Empty Quarter, in the southeast of the country, with kilometers of sand and more sand where everything can change at any time. However, the match ended before minute 45. Nasser won by a landslide and had everything on his side to get his 5th ‘touareg’ on January 15 in Dammam because of the problems of his rivals and his clean career, with almost no setbacks. peterhansel He gave up because he saw an obstacle in the way. Sainz, who was behind, was unable to avoid and spent a lot of time fixing his car. et al Rajhi It stopped due to engine problems. Nasser is on his way to the title.

One after the other

To win the Dakar you need to be perfect, not make mistakes, not break down and have a reliable and powerful car, but you also need luck. It is the race that, in part, chooses the winner. Much of the work was done by Nasser with his skillful management of difficult moments. But he also benefited from the champion’s luck.

First were the first problems for Loeb, who was eliminated from stage 2 with three holes that left him more than an hour behind, and Peterhansel trailing by more than 30 minutes. In stage 3 there would be some problems for Carlos and two holes that took him more than half an hour. Sainz recognized that “recovering half an hour in Dakar is very complicated”, and even less so when the rocky stages where holes can mark the classification, as happened in the first days, will disappear to give -way the sand. Carlos needed Nasser to get stuck in a dune, to suffer from a trap on the course or some reliability problem, but according to a source close to the pilot, the Qatari wasn’t trying hard enough and didn’t do it at the start . . It’s fast, but doesn’t do crazy things. He stayed in the race with great speed and his rivals were eliminated.

Peterhansel and Al-Rajhi came close at 18 minutes and seemed to add spice to the matter, but then they lost a bit of steam and, surely, the ‘Prince of the desert’ was left unopposed in stage 7 this Friday. Now, his main pursuers have left him in the title fight. He has a clear path, with a big advantage in general. In conditions like this, only one big problem can complicate things for you. But Al-Attiyah knows how to manage these margins like a charm. It’s almost over.

Sainz and Peterhansel accident and problems for Al-Rajhi

Nasser Al-Attiyah had a great triple stroke of luck to defend his crown and his current lead. This Thursday, Peterhansel had an accident with a road trap and had to leave for lumbar pain suffered by his co-pilot. Sainzwho clung to him after the French overtook him, could not avoid it same point and also experienced an accident that stopped him from repairing the suspension arms of his Audi. (It is still suspended, from 10.15 Spanish time, we will update more information when it is known whether it will continue the march or not.).

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Finally, the day was rounded off for the reigning Dakar winner when, a few kilometers after the accident Sainz Y peterhanselthe 3rd classified overall, Al-Rajhi, stopped due to a mechanical problem.

The title, on a tray: more than 1 hour margin

These problems put the title on a platter for Toyota Qatari, with dates with hazelnut cream that are usually eaten after stages right in front of his caravan in the bivouac. whiplash (2nd, with Nasser at Toyota) is now second overall in 1h06’50” and third place is Moraes (Toyota) at 1’13″19. One of his opponents is no longer in the race, and the other two will give up an insurmountable time.

Sorting stage 6, cars:

Temporarily

1. (QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH
(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL
TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 24H 00′ 48”

2. (ZAF) HENK LATEGAN
(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS
TOYOTA GAZOO RACE
+ 01H 06′ 50”

3. (BRA) LUCAS MORAES
(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK
OVERDRIVE RACING
+ 01H 13′ 19”

4. (ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS
(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY
TOYOTA GAZOO RACE
+ 01H 44′ 38”

5. (SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM
(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST
TEAM AUDI SPORTS
+ 01H 46′ 55”

6. (FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB
(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN
BAHRAIN RAID EXTREME
+ 01H 57′ 10”

7. (FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS
(FRA) MAX DELFINO
REBELLION RACING
+ 02H 13′ 07”

8. (CZE) MARTIN PROKOP
(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA
ORLEN BENZINA TEAM’
+ 02H 13′ 30”

9. (ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH
(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER
CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM
+ 02H 20′ 33”

10. (CHN) WEI HAN
(CHN) MA LI
HANWEI MOTORSPORT TEAM
+ 02H 49′ 27”

General classification after stage 6:

Temporarily

1. (QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH
(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL
TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 03H 13′ 12”

2. (FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB
(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN
BAHRAIN RAID EXTREME
+00H 03’29”

3. (ZAF) HENK LATEGAN
(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS
TOYOTA GAZOO RACE
+00H 08’52”

4. (FRA) GUERLIN CHICHERIT
(FRA) ALEX WINOCQ
GCK MOTORSPORT
+ 00H 09′ 12”

5. (LTU) VAIDOTAS ZALA
(PRT) PAULO FIUZA
TELTONIKA RACING
+00H 10’33”

6. (SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM
(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST
TEAM AUDI SPORTS
+00H 10’59”

7. (BRA) LUCAS MORAES
(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK
OVERDRIVE RACING 0
+00H 11’36”

8. (FRA) MATHIEU SERRADORI
(FRA) LOIC MINAUDIER
CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM
+00H 12’36”

9. (POL) JAKUB PRZYGONSKI
(ENG) ARMAND MONLEON
X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM
+00H 12’45”

10. (ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH
(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER
CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM’
+00H 16’04”