Al-Attiyah claims Dakar’s eighth stage win, Loeb out
JEDDAH: Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah won stage eight of the Dakar Rally on Monday while nine-time rally world champion Sebastien Loeb was forced out after two punctures.
Three-time Dakar winner Al-Attiyah covered the 375km of the timed special between Sakaka and Neom in Saudi Arabia in just under three hours.
It was the Toyota driver’s fourth stage win in this year’s edition but trailed Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel in overall rankings by 4min 50sec.
Last year’s winner Carlos Sainz finished 52sec behind Al-Attiyah along the Red Sea coastline, with Peterhansel third as he stayed on course to capture a record-extending 14th Dakar title. Sainz was third overall at 38min 55sec. Loeb, taking part in his fifth Dakar, suffered his first puncture 43km into the stage.
After he blew another tyre at 83km, the Frenchman signalled his retirement to his team, the British outfit BRX.
This year’s Dakar had not been a kind one to Loeb, who had been beset with mechanical problems and was more than 13 hours behind his compatriot Peterhansel.
Chile’s Jose Ignacio Cornejo extended his advantage in the motorbike category with his first stage victory.
Cornejo gained over a minute on nearest rival Toby Price, having led by just one second on Sunday.
1. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/ Toyota) 2hrs 56mins 56sec; 2. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) at 52sec; 3. Stephane Peterhansel/ Edouard Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) 3:03; 4. Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Xavier Panseri (UAE/FRA/Peugeot) 12:44; 5. Cyril Despres/Michael Horn (FRA/SUI/ Peugeot) 12:49
STANDINGS
1. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (FRA/ FRA/Mini) 29hrs 36mins 49sec (1min penalty); 2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) at 4mins 50sec; 3. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/ Mini) 38:55; 4. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Gottschalk (POL/ GER/Toyota) 1hrs 38mins 08sec. (2min penalty); 5. Nani Roma/Alexandre Winocq (ESP/FRA/Brx) 2.19:59