Carlos Sainz successfully completed and the 175-kilometer journey that took him to the city yielded no surprises. ultimate goal Dakar 2024 In Yanbu. The 61-year-old driver from Madrid won the rally for the fourth time in a rally that has seen him staged 17 times and 42 stage victories so far. And most importantly, for the first time in the history of this race, he became champion behind the wheel of the powerful Audi RS Q e-tron, an electric prototype.
With his inseparable co-pilot from Barcelona Lucas CruzSainz He proved once again that he is one of the best in Spanish sport. crowned Two-time world rally champion in 1990 and 1992 and gone second place in the other six and still today, despite the passing of champions like Sébastien Loeb or Sébastien Ogier for WRC, continues to hold records achieved more than two decades ago.
in Dakar, ‘bullfighter’ He continued his legend at the top of his competitive level. He won his first Touareg with Volkswagen in 2010, repeated it with Peugeot (2018) and Mini (2020), and decided to start an unspecified project with Audi three years ago. betting on innovation with an electric-powered car. The first two attempts were complicated by problems with the car’s youth, causing it to push too hard. In 2023, Sainz broke several vertebrae in a horrific accident In the Saudi desert. When he recovered this year, he was convinced that “the third time would be the charm.”
It hasn’t all been a bed of roses. Sainz and other participants faced the toughest of the five rallies in Arabia. Pilots who aim for the maximum as five-time champions Nasser Al-Attiyahsaudi idol Yazeed Al-RajhiThe person or teammates who managed the first week Mattias Ekström and Stephane Peterhansel They were left without a choice due to the difficulty of the route. Audi recycled them as luxury crew members and both played a key role in the Spaniard’s victory.
The last person standing behind him is Sebastien LoebBut yesterday, on stage eleven, just 13 minutes clear of his rival, the nine-time world rally champion suffered a mechanical failure in his Hunter, leaving him to fight for second place on the podium, putting him second in the championship. Betting tray for Sainz.
Today the Madrid man ‘scared the ghosts’ who reminded him that “Carlos was trying to rip him”. There was no need for drama. I’m about to finish a great job. You already have your fourth Toaureg. We’ll see if this helps Audi reconsider its decision to abandon Dakar and focus on F1.