Sainz Dominates the Dakar Stage as Others Struggle in the Desert
Carlos Sainz of Audi closed in on the Dakar rally’s tense second week after a dramatic sixth stage. Though he crossed the line in second place, the overall general classification took a heavy blow for the Spaniard as others faltered in the vast desert stretches. Nasser Al-Attiyah, representing Prodrive for Qatar, saw his title ambitions falter after a mechanical snag left him stranded in the sands and unable to push back into the battle for the podium.
French driver Sébastien Loeb, piloting a Prodrive entry, claimed the queen stage—a grueling 48-hour time trial that cut through the Rub’ al Khali, the world’s largest sand sea. His performance sharpened the competition, with Swedish rival Mattias Ekström of Audi proving to be Sainz’s sternest challenger as the second week of Dakar began.
During the rest of the stage, Sainz methodically closed the gap to Ekström, shaving more than 29 minutes by the end of the encounter. Loeb extended his advantage in the stage tally, reaching his twenty-fifth stage win in Dakar. He would now target the overall crown as the event pressed into its middle phase, while the Madrid-born driver sought to limit risk and sustain pace through the grueling days ahead.
Loeb’s tactical decisions earlier in the week kept him within striking distance, though the day’s pacing gifted Sainz a strategic edge. A calculated move on the fifth stage had placed Sainz at the back of the field for the sixth stage, a choice intended to tonally recalibrate the pace for the afternoon run. The gamble, still under review, appears to have paid large dividends as Friday’s results unfolded in his favor.
Al-Attiyah, who won the fifth stage, faced the consequence of opening the route on Thursday. The slower tempo and navigation challenges through untouched sand over time ultimately hindered his campaign, underscoring how delicate the balance is between speed and reliability in this desert marathon.
Al Rajhi and Al-Attiyah, Off the Pace
When Thursday began, Al-Attiyah’s chances were colorfully alive, yet Friday’s reality struck harder. Stranded by a vehicle issue for more than two hours, his Dakar dream shifted from potential champion to survival mode, a reminder that the rally demands both mechanical resilience and flawless execution.
Jassim Al Rajhi, the Saudi driver for Overdrive Racing, arrived at the sixth stage as the early overall leader, nine minutes ahead of Al-Attiyah and eleven minutes ahead of Sainz. A dramatic sand dune tumble around the 51-kilometer mark on the previous day, though, forced him to retire from the race, ending a promising run far too soon.
Stéphane Peterhansel, the French veteran driving for Audi, also faced misfortune. A mechanical problem at roughly the 225-kilometer point on the prior day ruined his chances of a fifteenth Dakar victory and a storied, legendary campaign in the event.
Sainz Keeps Momentum and Looks Ahead
At the finish, Sainz signaled his intention to savor the moment while maintaining progress through the second week. He described the stage as a brutal challenge yet noted that the team managed to survive, keeping him in a favorable position as the rest day approached. The result carried the feel of a turning point in a rally that rewards careful risk management and consistent pace.
Entering the rest day, the Madrid native had risen to virtual leadership in the general standings following Al Rajhi’s withdrawal, and he had snatched the stage lead on Thursday thanks to a strong performance that kept him near the fastest times all day long. The outcome underscores the value of steady, disciplined driving when the desert forces decisions and can erase earlier advantages in an instant.
Looking forward, Ekström and Loeb will face a challenging road back to the summit. Sainz has shown the capacity to extend his advantage with careful navigation and steady pace, keeping his Dakar bid alive for a potential fourth victory. The upcoming days promise more volatility, but the early momentum clearly favors the Spaniard as the field moves into the second week of competition.
Fans and analysts alike will be watching to see whether Sainz can sustain this rhythm, convert the rest day calm into sustained speed, and outpace the field to claim another Dakar triumph. The event remains unpredictable, yet the early signs point to a compelling chapter in the ongoing Dakar saga.
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