The Dakar Rally is back in Saudi Arabia and the first stage meant a win for two former Champions as well as the first win for a woman since 2005, and troubles for Karginov, Brabec and Löeb. We review the action.

The Sportspedia

The Dakar Rally is back in Saudi Arabia and the first stage meant a win for two former Champions as well as the first win for a woman since 2005, and troubles for Karginov, Brabec and Löeb. We review the action.

Motos

Toby Price (AUS, KTM) took the first stage, followed by Kevin Benavides (ARG, Honda) and the Enduro expert, Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM).

Champion Ricky Brabec (USA) had a terrible start after getting lost and not finding a waypoint in the road-book. He was 24th, 18 minutes adrift. Joan Barreda (ESP, Honda) and Pablo Quintanilla (CHL, Husqvarna) also got lost at some point. They are 20th and 22nd so far.

The Super Production class was won by Martin Miczek (CZE).

Top 5 today:

POS.N°EXP.DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELTIMEVARIATIONPENALITY
13(AUS) TOBY PRICERED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 17′ 49”
247(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDESMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 18′ 24”+ 00H 00′ 35”
352(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNERRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 18′ 24”+ 00H 00′ 35”
45(GBR) SAM SUNDERLANDRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 19′ 52”+ 00H 02′ 03”
515(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINOSHERCO FACTORY03H 22′ 14”+ 00H 04′ 25”

Cars:

Champions Carlos Sainz (ESP) and Lucas Cruz (ESP) took first for the moment in their X-RAID Mini, ahead of teammates Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and Edouard Boulanger (FRA) by a few seconds.

Another ex WRC driver, Martin Prokop (CZE), was third in his Buggy, ahead of Mathieu Serradori (FRA) and Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE). Another Arab, Nasser Al Attiyah (QAT), was 10th.

Former Rally World Champions, Sébastien Löeb (FRA) and Daniel Elena (MCO) had a flat tire and a navigation error that relegated them to 18th place, 22 minutes adrift.

Top 5 today:

POS.N°EXP.DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELTIMEVARIATIONPENALITY
1300(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZX-RAID MINI JCW TEAM03H 05′ 00”
2302(FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL(FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGERX-RAID MINI JCW TEAM03H 05′ 22”+ 00H 00′ 22”
3312(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKABENZINA ORLEN TEAM03H 09′ 42”+ 00H 04′ 42”00H 01′ 00”
4308(FRA) MATHIEU SERRADORI(BEL) FABIAN LURQUINSRT RACING03H 11′ 54”+ 00H 06′ 54”
5310(ARE) SHEIKH KHALID AL QASSIMI(FRA) XAVIER PANSERIABU DHABI RACING03H 13′ 34”+ 00H 08′ 34”

Quads:

Alexandre Giroud (FRA) took the stage today by over 3 minutes over Gopvanni Enrico (CHL), Pablo Copetti (USA) Govanni Enrico (CHL), Pablo Copetti (USA) and two Argentinians: Nicolás Cavigliasso and Manuel Andújar.

Top 5 today:

POS.N°EXP.DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELTIMEVARIATIONPENALITY
1152(FRA) ALEXANDRE GIROUDTEAM GIROUD04H 01′ 08”
2159(CHL) GIOVANNI ENRICOENRICO RACING TEAM04H 04′ 04”+ 00H 02′ 56”
3163(USA) PABLO COPETTIMX DEVESA BY BERTA04H 05′ 54”+ 00H 04′ 46”
4150(ARG) NICOLAS CAVIGLIASSODRAG’ON RALLY TEAM04H 05′ 59”+ 00H 04′ 51”
5154(ARG) MANUEL ANDUJAR7240 TEAM04H 06′ 52”+ 00H 05′ 44”

Lightweight Vehicle:

Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero (ESP) was the great story today. A few days ago she did not have a race seat and Red Bull and other sponsors came to the call. She answered with the first victory for a woman since 2005 (Jutta Kleinschmidt).

She was followed by Austin Jones (USA) and Francisco “Chaleco” López, former motorcycle competitor. Mattias Ékstrom (SWE), who has been a Rallycross and Race of Champions winner, was 17th.

Top 5 today:

POS.N°EXP.DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELTIMEVARIATIONPENALITY
1387(ESP) CRISTINA GUTIERREZ HERRERO(FRA) FRANCOIS CAZALETRED BULL OFF-ROAD TEAM USA03H 35′ 56”
2408(USA) AUSTIN JONES(BRA) GUSTAVO GUGELMINMONSTER ENERGY CAN-AM03H 42′ 55”+ 00H 06′ 59”
3401(CHL) FRANCISCO LOPEZ CONTARDO(CHL) JUAN PABLO LATRACH VINAGRESOUTH RACING CAN-AM03H 43′ 32”+ 00H 07′ 36”
4406(POL) ARON DOMZALA(POL) MACIEJ MARTONMONSTER ENERGY CAN-AM03H 43′ 39”+ 00H 07′ 43”
5404(BRA) REINALDO VARELA(BRA) MAYKEL JUSTOMONSTER ENERGY CAN-AM03H 43′ 44”+ 00H 07′ 48”00H 01′ 00”

Classic:

This is a Regularity test, meaning that the objective is not always to be fastest but to be closest to the times set at certain checkpoints. The cars must be from the Pre-1986 Dakar era.

Among the 24 teams, the best one so far is the Buggy Sunhill 1979 of Marc Douton (FRA) and Emilien Etienne (FRA).

Top 5 today:

POS.N°DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELPOINTSVARIATIONPENALITY
1229(FRA) MARC DOUTON(FRA) EMILIEN ETIENNETEAM SUNHILL121
2211(ESP) CARLOS VENTO SANCHEZ(ESP) JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ MOURERUMBO ZERO176+ 5540
3210(ESP) ANTONIO GUTIERREZ(ESP) LUIS HERAS RODRIGUEZRUMBO ZERO265+ 14440
4209(ESP) JUAN DONATIU(ESP) PERE SERRAT PUIGDORIA RACING404+ 283
5213(FRA) FRÉDÉRIC VERDAGUER(FRA) JULIE VERDAGUERTEAM SUNHILL470+ 349

Trucks:

As per usual, Kamaz leads. Surprisingly, the great candidate team of Andrey Karginov (RUS) had a mechanical problem, and he is already over one hour and a half behind, in 21st!

Ales Loprais (CZE) divided the Kamaz trucks of Dmitry Sotnikov (RUS) and Anton Shibalov (RUS). Chilean Ignacio Casale had a goos transition from motos and ended 6th.

Top 5 today:

POS.N°EXP.DRIVE-TEAMMARK-MODELTIMEVARIATIONPENALITY
1507(RUS) DMITRY SOTNIKOV(RUS) RUSLAN AKHMADEEV(RUS) ILGIZ AKHMETZIANOVKAMAZ – MASTER03H 16′ 47”
2504(CZE) ALES LOPRAIS(CZE) PETR POKORA(ARE) KHALID ALKENDIINSTAFOREX LOPRAIS PRAGA03H 24′ 47”+ 00H 08′ 00”
3501(RUS) ANTON SHIBALOV(RUS) DMITRII NIKITIN(RUS) IVAN TATARINOVKAMAZ – MASTER03H 24′ 59”+ 00H 08′ 12”
4502(BLR) SIARHEI VIAZOVICH(BLR) PAVEL HARANIN(BLR) ANTON ZAPAROSHCHANKAMAZ-SPORTAUTO03H 28′ 01”+ 00H 11′ 14”
5503(CZE) MARTIN MACIK(CZE) FRANTISEK TOMASEK(CZE) DAVID SVANDABIG SHOCK RACING03H 29′ 52”+ 00H 13′ 05”