Four-time winner and defending champion Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz, the duo were the fastest in the motoring field at the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Friday, followed by 13-time champion Stéphane Peterhansel in the composite.
Before Saturday's holiday, the starters made their way from El-Kashim to Hail on 618 kilometers, of which 448 kilometers was the special stage.
Saints ran a good time, proving more than four minutes faster than the second Saudi German pair of Jazid al-Rajhi, Dirk von Zitzewitz, and more than 7 minutes better than Nasser al-Attijah of Qatar. Peterhanselek finished fourth on Friday, their advantage in the composite almost six minutes ahead of al-Attijah.
For motorcyclists, Joan Barreda Bort of Spain won the stage for the third time in the current Dakar, but the two-time champion Toby Price of Australia took the lead in the overall.
In the case of the drivers, Balázs Szalay and László Bunkoczi, the pair of the Opel Dakar Team, have not yet reached the finish line, just as in the case of the truckers Károlyék Fazekas (Scania) and Zsolt Darázsi (MAN).
The field will cover a total of 7,658 kilometers in 13 stages until next Friday’s Jeddah finish.
The Dakar Rally was first held in 1979 between Paris and the eponymous Senegalese capital, followed by several countries outside Europe and Africa, South America and the current host last year. Arranged by Saudi Arabia.
motorists:
1. Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz (Spanish, Mini) 3:38:27
2. Jazid al-Rajhi, Dirk von Zitzewitz (Saudi, German, Toyota) 4:03 min disadvantage
3. Nasser al-Attijah, Mathieu Baumel (Qatar, French, Toyota) 7:16 p.m.
Complex position:
1. Stéphane Peterhansel, Edouard Boulanger (French, Mini) 22:14:03
2. al-Attijah, Baumel 5:53 minutes disadvantage
3. Sainz, Cruz 40:39 p h.
motorcyclists:
1. Joan Barreda Bort (Spanish, Honda) 3:45:27 p.m.
2. Ross Branch (Botswana, Yamaha) 13 second handicap
3. Daniel Sanders (Australia, KTM) 53 sec h.
Complex position:
1. Toby Price (Australia, KTM) 24:08:43
2. Kevin Benavides (Argentine, Honda) 2:16 mins disadvantage
3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Chile, Honda) 2:57 p.m.
Saturday will be a holiday at the Dakar, which will continue on Sunday with the 738-kilometer road between Hail and Sakaka, of which 471 kilometers will be the speed section.
(Source: Source: sportrajongo.hu, mti / Photo: pixabay)