Closing the gap at Dakar
It may be the capital of the West African country of Senegal, but mention the name Dakar and for motorsport enthusiasts it is synonymous with just one thing: the greatest off-road race in the world. Currently winding its way through Argentina following the testing dunes of Peru and the altitude of Bolivia, the Dakar Rally has once again added to its reputation of being the ultimate test of man and machine. There are few events in the world of motorsport that capture the imagination quite like the Dakar. For two weeks riders and drivers compete over 9 000km and 14 stages of inhospitable terrain as they dance with death and fame. And as the final rider and driver cross the finish line in Córdoba, Argentina, on Saturday, another chapter will have been written in its illustrious history. Sure to feature are tales of blood, sweat and tears, crashes, floods, civil unrest — ingredients that add to the mystique of the event. Putting in a particularly strong showing going in to the final stages is the South African team of Toyota Gazoo Racing with their all-new Hiluxes. Behind the wheel of the vehicles are three experienced campaigners: Qatari Nasser AlAttiyah (a two-time winner), Dutch driver Bernhard ten Brinke and 2009 Dakar winner Giniel de Villiers. Al Attiyah — who is currently lying in second place overall behind Peugeot’s Carlos Sainz — is firing on all cylinders. With French navigator Mathieu Baumel he has got stronger as the race has unfolded and is determined to close the gap with Sainz. Speaking in Tupiza, Bolivia, after Stage 8, he said: “I didn’t have any problems with the altitude, but it was a really long stage, with a lot of camel grass. We’re here at the finish and quite happy and we’ll try to do our best over the next few days. If Carlos makes a mistake, we can catch him, but one hour . . . it’s going to be difficult.” Peugeot’s “dream team” — the legendary Stéphane Peterhansel (13 Dakar titles), Cyril Despres, Sébastien Loeb and Sainz — have had mixed results this year. Strong performances in the early stages had Peugeot dominating the leaderboard, but with the retirement of Loeb due to an accident and Despres way off the pace, Peterhansel and Sainz now have to carry the Lion team’s hopes. The cancellation on Monday of Stage 9 between the Bolivian towns of Tupiza and Salta due to flooding has been both a blessing and a curse for Toyota Gazoo Racing team principal Glyn Hall. “While we’re happy to get an extra day of rest instead of taking on Stage 9; we are also disappointed to lose an opportunity to make a difference in this year’s race,” he said. “But the next two stages that lie in wait can still have a massive influence, and with our cars currently in second, fourth and fifth, we have every reason to remain confident.” Dakar veteran De Villiers has fought tirelessly every inch of the race, but things have not always gone his way. In his most recent mishap, he got stuck in a deep hole on the off-road section during Stage 8. “I saw the hole a moment too late to avoid it, and then tried to power through. We very nearly made it, but ended up getting
stuck in a precarious position. We had to take out the spare wheels, jack up the car and move it bit by bit using the spare wheels as a foundation. We eventually got going again, but had a puncture midway through the stage. Other than that, we actually had a good run, and were able to run at the same pace as the leaders,” he said. “There’s no doubt that this is the best Toyota Hilux we’ve ever fielded in the Dakar.” Changes to the vehicle include a new mid-engine layout, larger air restrictor and new suspension set-up, helping to provide better levels of balance and handling. The Hiluxes are also lower and lighter than previously. Equally important, they are more powerful, with an extra couple of kilowatts squeezed from the 4-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine.