Destroyed: This is how Carlos Sainz reached the finish line with a scary car

Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz They once again gave a lesson in Dakar rally pride by completing the 48-hour time trial with the middle car rickety and that it was terrifying when it came to the bivouac. How they managed to complete the stage in those conditions had many in the Bisha bivouac wondering as ‘El Matador’ crossed the finish line.

Endless nightmare

The rollover at kilometer 327 on Saturday is terrible news for his chances of retaining the crown as that stage 2 will be without mechanical assistance and they will not have a physio to alleviate his physical condition after loud crash. Carlos He lost a total of 59 minutes arriving at the camp at kilometer 626, which on Monday when the second stage was completed was 1h35’12” with a two minute penalty.

The list of injuries is impressive when it comes to the bivouac: the car has no roof, no rear bodywork with the car’s V8 Coyote engine almost emptyLucas Cruz’s door didn’t close properly and he had to navigate and give directions Carlos while holding the door throughout the special with the right hand. Added to this, they arrived with no front window so they had to stop to start as it was damaged making it hard to see, the radiator was at the limit and with the sword of Damocles they only had one spare tire left.

But they finished the stage and there are many more Dakars ahead. And it is well known that with raiding raids the laughter usually goes from neighborhood to neighborhood.

“I’m sorry,” said Carlos Sainz to one of the team members. “Thank you for bringing him home,” he responded to MD’s attentive gaze. The Spaniard wants to continue if Ford can fix the car and if the structure is not damaged (if it is, Ford can fix it because it is the manufacturer) to continue fighting in Dakar. He considers his options gone, although at the same time he remembers that there are many stages left, at least 10, and he will try to help the Ford team, with Ekström with great options.