‘Mr Dakar’ Peterhansel wins 13th title
French ace beats teammate Loeb as third-placed Despres completes podium sweep for Peugeot
>> RIO CUARTO: France’s Stéphane Peterhansel won his 13th Dakar Rally title yesterday following a tight battle with French Peugeot teammate Sébastien Loeb.
The 51-year-old Peterhansel added the 2017 title to his previous six wins on four wheels and his six on two, the first coming in 1991.
Along with third-placed Cyril Despres the trio handed Peugeot their first podium sweep since 1990, before the French car maker withdrew from the race to return in 2015.
Nine-time world rally champion Loeb and Peterhansel dominated the gruelling two-week race winning eight out of a possible 10 stages between them with the former taking five and the later three. Despres also won a stage for Peugeot who took control from the second stage.
Earlier Sam Sunderland became the first Briton to win the motorbike section after the heartbreak of being forced to retire from two previous editions.
The KTM rider secured victory after the 12th and final special, a 64km race into the Argentinian town of Rio Cuarto.
The 27-year-old Dubai-based Briton entered the 2012 and 2014 Dakar rallies but retired each time with mechanical problems. It is the 16th year in a row that KTM have won the motorbike title.
The 2016 winner, Toby Price of Australia, pulled out of this year’s race during the fourth stage.
Meanwhile, Silverstone chiefs on Friday revealed they are in talks with the government in a bid to save the British Grand Prix.
The British Grand Prix has been a permanent fixture on the Formula One calendar since 1950, but the event’s future was thrown into doubt after the British Racing Drivers’ Club, who own the circuit, suggested they may activate a break clause to cease Grand Prix racing after 2019.
Silverstone agreed a 17-year deal to stage the British Grand Prix from 2010, but are struggling to afford the race fee paid to Formula One Management Group, of which Bernie Ecclestone is the chief executive.
Unlike several other circuits on the Formula One calendar, Silverstone receives no government backing.
But British Racing Drivers’ Club president Derek Warwick believes the government, Formula One’s new American owners Liberty Media or Ecclestone could be prepared to broker a deal to safeguard the British Grand Prix.
“It is not widely known, but we are talking to the government to see if there is any help there,” Warwick said at the Autosport International Show i n Birmingham on Friday.
“We have had meetings with Liberty and [Formula One chairman] Chase Carey. He understands our dilemma.
“Even Bernie is calling us and saying ‘let’s set up a meeting and talk about it.’
“I feel there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I think we will have a Grand Prix past 2019.”