Opening round of gruelling Dakar race can be classified as a ‘day of punctures’
Then Al Qassimi emerged in the lead from the fifth waypoint at 254km, ahead of surprise package Zala, Al-attiyah, Terranova and Sainz, before Qassimi was just as quickly gone from the front in a day of punctures and drama, to leave the virtually unknown Zala to come home the shock winner.
He ended up two minutes clear of Mini teammates Peterhansel and Sainz, with Nasser Al-attiyah the best of the rest from Gazoo Toyota Hilux teammate Bernhard Ten Brinke after the team suffered no less than 11 punctures through the course of the day.
Perhaps the result of the day from a South African car point of view was the Johannesburg built and developed Century buggy that came in a brilliant sixth in Serradori’s hands, while Fernando Alonso finished his first Dakar stage a troubled 11th, but not quite as tormented as De Villiers, who lost 23 minutes in his clearly hobbled Hilux.
Other cars of South African interest are the two Red-lined Nissan Navaras, with which British driver Thomas Bell enjoyed a solid run to 35th, and South African pair Hennie de Klerk and Johann Smalberger were 61st after losing an hour at mid-distance.
In the motorcycles, defending Dakar champion, Australian Toby Price, rode his KTM to victory over Californian Honda Rider Ricky Brabec, another former KTM under winner Matthias Walkner, Kevin Benavides on a Honda, Sam Sunderland (KTM) and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna).
Today’s second 367km Dakar 2020 day into the deep Arabian Desert from Al Wajh to Neom is the first part of the Super Marathon stage, which also promises to be a significant navigational challenge.