Carlos Sainz is one step away from completing his mission successfully Dakar 2024. The driver from Madrid, who is looking for his fourth Touareg after winning with three different brands: with Volskwagen in 2010, with Peugeot in 2018 and with MINI in 2020, can become the first champion with an electric car tomorrow, Friday. , Strong Audi RS Q e-tron. This will be the final touch of the ambitious project launched by the German manufacturer three years ago and which, barring a last-minute surprise, will bid farewell to the rally in this edition.
The eleventh stage on the Yanbu road brought this Thursday Avcı’s last ‘theatrical coup’ Sébastien Loeb stopped in front of the third checkpoint. I turn off all alarms. It was soon confirmed that this was a serious problem, a fracture in the right anterior triangle.
ANDThe French pilot seemed determined to give up and even called for help in evacuation. Loeb made a sportsmanship gesture and told Sainz not to give up helping him, that everything was fine. Shortly after, the Chinese Zi Yungang Another Hunter driver was able to assist him and Seb was able to continue driving after repairing his car.
More than an hour and a half separated him from Sainz at the third crossing point, meaning his desire for victory was completely gone. After the war with the Madrid native was lost, Loeb set the final podium as his new goal.
Sainz in conservative mode
Second place is temporarily occupied by Brazilians Lucas Moraes, co-piloted by Spaniard Armand Monleón He was only third, well behind the nine-time WRC world champion. By Mevius, was within his reach. The latter had to push the tempo due to threat loebduring sainzOn the contrary, his team asked him to relax to avoid unforeseen events. The important thing was to get to the finish line and keep the lead safe.
Loeb started crazy comeback Competing among trucks, light vehicles and the latest motorcycles, and rising from 129th in the special race to 40th at 258 kilometers, the French pilot completed his worst day in the Dakar with the hope of still getting into the penalty box. The blow became more violent Lucas MoraesLosing 40 minutes due to the crisis he experienced while entering the last stage made it difficult for him to take second place.
Stephane Peterhansel, Dakar’s most successful rider, with 14 trophies in his locker (6 for motorcycles, 8 for cars), did not hesitate to help his teammate Sainz in recent days. ‘Monsieur Dakar’, who could not get to the podium since the first week of the race, included Audi as a luxury teammate and his work was priceless. Today he stopped to wait for the man from Madrid to escort him to the finish line in case there was trouble.
Even the Dakar organization valued the teamwork at Audi; This contrasts with the ‘mess’ going on in BRX these days following the five-time champion. Nasser Al-AttiyahFed up with Hunter after breaking his engine two days in a row, he decided to go home and left. loeb alone in the face of danger.
Sainz completed the stage without any problems in third place, 5:35 behind the day’s virtual winner, Frenchman Chicherit, and added his second consecutive partial victory. De Mevius finished second in 5:32.