Dakar 2024: Carlos Sainz limits the damage in cars, Ricky Brabec maintains his lead in motorcycles

Carlos Sainz et son coéquipier Lucas Cruz sur la 10ème étape du Dakar Dakar Press Team – Andew Eaton

Carlos Sainz limite les dégâts dans son duel avec Sébastien Loeb et conserve sa place de leader au général du Dakar-2024 à l'issue de la 10e étape mercredi, au cours de laquelle il a cédé un peu plus de 7 minutes.

The suspense is at its height in this Dakar 2024 car category. Nothing is decided for victory between Carlos Sainz (Audi) and Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive). Leader of the general classification, the Spanish veteran conceded time to the Frenchman during this 10th stage in the monumental rocks of Al-Ula, in Saudi Arabia.

If victory went to Guerlain Chicherit, Sébastien Loeb is the other big winner of this special. By taking 7 minutes from the Spanish driver, the nine-time world rally champion is now only 13’22 behind his opponent.

In the title race, the Madrilenian was very scared on the rocky tracks with three punctures, finding himself stranded at km 248 while waiting for the # assistance from one of his teammates at Audi. "We stopped to try to repair it.

It was impossible, we had to wait for Mattias Ekström, whom I thank enormously because he left us his tires,” said Carlos Sainz, visibly relieved to have arrived. "We took zero risks but we didn't know what to do.

Carlos Sainz valora la etapa del Dakar: "Piedras, piedras, piedras… ¡No sabíamos qué hacer para no pinchar!"https://t.co/evnNiQS58L

— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) January 17, 2024

We went slowly, we punctured, we went fast, we punctured, railed the three-time winner of the Dakar (2010, 2018 and 2020), who even lost 16 minutes on Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive ) at one point in the step.

The Alsatian, runner-up in the general standings, could have taken full advantage of it if he had not also had to stop: two punctures on the side where his hydraulic jack failed. did not work. "I find a place where I can tilt the car so that the rear rises", explained Sébastien Loeb. Another waste of time: the nut gun was out of battery.

7 mn 11 recovered for Loeb

"We had to take out the toolbox to get the manual wrench to tighten the wheel. “It’s annoying,” he cursed. "It's annoying at the moment but we took some time back from Carlos, that's what we wanted".

The nine-time world rally champion still recovers 7 min 11 on Carlos Sainz, but is still 13 min 22 behind the Audi driver before the dangerous stage.

The 11th stage on Thursday is the biggest part of the second week and undoubtedly the last chance to make a dent in the general classification: more than 400 km of special between Al-Ula and Yanbu with many punctures to be expected on inhospitable soils.

Another Honda motorcycle hat trick

Among the bikers, the American Ricky Brabec (Honda) won the stage and further consolidated his leadership position overall.

"Two days left, our team is strong, I'm 100%. Tomorrow it's going to be hard with the big stage and all these stones, I'm going to try to secure my place, declared Ricky Brabec at the end of the stage.

As for the 9th stage on Tuesday, it's another Honda hat-trick on the podium: Brabec is just two seconds ahead of his Chilean teammate Ignacio Cornejo and his other comrade from the red team Adrien Van Beveren (+20 sec).

The Frenchman, who had the difficult task of opening the 371 km special in the monumental rocks of Al-Ula, did rather well. "The navigation was difficult, at the end my head was worn out from reading my roadbook, having Ricky with me was a plus (…)

We are entering the decisive moments and it is now that we must make the difference, underlined "VBA". He is catching up with the Botswanan Ross Branch (Hero), 2nd overall, who is only 52 seconds behind, but is still 11 min 46 behind Ricky Brabec.

"It's going to be hard to get Ricky, he's taken it up a notch again. We have to keep believing, you never know, maybe the wheel will turn in our favor,” said Ross Branch.

The general classification

1. Carlos Sainz (ESP) – Lucas Cruz (ESP – Team Audi Sport) in 41h 35’12’’

2. Sébastien Loeb (FRA) – Fabian Lurquin (BEL – Prodrive) à 13’22’’

3. Lucas Moraes (BRE) – Armand Monleon (ESP – Toyota Gazoo Racing) à 1h02’44’’

4. William of Mevius (BEL) – Xavier Panseri (FRA – Overdrive Racing) à 1:27’09’’

5. Guerlain Chicherit (FRA) – Alex Winocq (FRA – Overdrive Racing) à 1h47’55’’

6. Mathieu Serradori (FRA) – Loïc Minaudier (FRA – Century Racing Factory) à 1h48’59’’

7. Martin Prokop (CZE) – Viktor Chytka (CZE – Orlen Jipocar ​​Team) à 1h59’58’’

8. Giniel De Villiers (BRE) – Dennis Murphy (AFS – Toyota Gazoo Racing) à 2h17’20’’

9. Guy David Boteterill (AFS) – Bret Cummings (AFS – Toyota Gazoo Racing) à 2h24’26’’

10. Benediktas Vanagas (LIT) – Kuldar Sikk (EST – Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics) à 2h40’51’’