MADRID, 2 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) has been awarded this Sunday the first stage of the Dakar Rally, with 333 timed starting and finishing in Hail, in which the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Audi) has left more than two hours compared the new leader due to navigation problems in a disastrous day for Audi.
The Madrilenian, who finished second in the prologue stage only behind Al-Attiyah, was in the top ten until kilometer 239 but fell into the trap of the Saudi desert and left a lot of time lost in the dunes at kilometer 250 .
Finally, he entered more than two hours -2: 07: 07- from his main rival for the title, who had no problems to ‘tame’ the arenas and finished the day first with a time of 3:30:53, 12 minutes ahead of Frenchman Sébastien Loeb (Bahrain Raid Xtreme).
Navigation in the final part of the special also took its toll on the Swedish Mattias Ekström (Audi), who in the first timed point was just 27 seconds behind Al-Attiyah and just under French Stéphane Peterhansel (Audi), the great victim of the day. At kilometer 153, ‘Monsieur Dakar’ broke the rear axle of his RS Q e-tron, practically saying goodbye to his options.
For his part, Spaniard Nani Roma (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) was also caught up in the bewilderment of the desert to finish eighteenth, 1:18:34 behind the day’s winner.
SANDERS QUEEN ON MOTORCYCLES
On motorcycles, Australian Daniel Sanders (GasGas), leading from the first timing point, dominated from start to finish to sign his second Dakar victory and maintain his overall lead. Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) finished after him, at 3:07, and Austrian Matthias Walkner, at 11:06.
Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) from Salamanca was the best Spaniard of the day on two wheels and finished seventh at 16:54 behind the winner, while Joan Barreda (Honda) was seventeenth at 41:54.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage 1.
Cars
1. Nasser Al-Attiyah (@QAT/Toyota) 3:30:53.
2. Sébastien Loeb (FRA / BRX) at 12:44.
3. Martin Prokop (CZE / Ford Raptor) 22:39.
4. Lucio Alvarez (ARG / Toyota) 27:42.
5. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS / BMW) 28:58.
…//…
18. NANI ROMA (ESP / BRX) 1:18:34.
20. ÓSCAR FUERTES (ESP / Astara) 1:25:20.
27. CARLOS SAINZ (ESP / Audi) 2:07:07.
Motorcycles
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS / GasGas) 4:38:40.
2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL / Honda) at 3:07.
3. Matthias Walker (AUT/KTM) 11:06 am.
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA/Yamaha) 12:46.
5. Mason Klein (USA / KTM) 14:34.
…//…
7. LORENZO SANTOLINO (ESP/Sherco) 16:54.
17. JOAN BARREDA (ESP / Honda) 41:54.