Dakar 2024: Loeb gardens, Van Beveren does the calculations during the 8th stage

Sébastien Loeb. MAXPPP – Red Bull Media

Retour à la case départ pour Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive): le Français a perdu lundi 5 min 47 dans son duel avec le leader au général Carlos Sainz (Audi) lors de la 8e étape du Dakar-2024, remportée par le Suédois Mattias Ekström (Audi).

The route – 458 km with a neutralization of 179 km in the middle – was less intense than the last stages: without major obstacles but with some rocky tracks.

A navigation error – "gardening" in the jargon – nevertheless cost precious minutes to Loeb and his co-driver Fabian Lurquin, who until now were driving alone in front.

"I attacked hard throughout the special. We lose big on a WPC (mandatory crossing point, editor's note). We persisted for too long. We lose what we gained yesterday (Monday), reacted the Alsatian at the end of the stage.

Le face-à-face entre Loeb et Sainz sur le #Dakar devient "très stressant" 😨

🔗 https://t.co/Q76LU6lzuG #Dakar2024 #DakarInSaudi pic.twitter.com/zc9NPUg6ha

— Motorsport France (@Motorsport_FR) January 15, 2024

The nine-time world rally champion must now make up 24:47 of Carlos Sainz before the final stage on Friday.

"The road is still long for me. You can see how easy it is to lose 5-10 minutes on this navigation race. It's very stressful, said the Madrilenian, who finished 4th 5 min 13 behind his teammate Mattias Ekström.

Now very far behind in the general standings after suspension problems on Sunday, the Swede won his second stage, after the prologue in Al-Ula on January 5.

Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin. MAXPPP – Red Bull Media

Two French people complete the podium in the car: the Audi of Stéphane Peterhansel (+2 min 45) and the Toyota of Guerlain Chicherit (+ 3 min 10).

Ekström and Peterhansel will open Tuesday's stage and the traces they leave will be very useful to their teammate Carlos Sainz. He will also be able to benefit from their help in the event of a puncture.

The Dakar 2024 is definitely to be forgotten for the five-time winner of the event Nasser Al-Attiyah (Prodrive), who suffered an engine failure at km 62. "I don't know not if we leave (Tuesday).

I had no problem with my old team. There, I have it every day. And in the end, you no longer have confidence. “I'm not enjoying this Dakar at all,” the Qatari railed, angry after the race.

A frustrating day

On the motorcycle side, Argentinian Kevin Benavides (KTM) signs his second victory of the 2024 edition of the Dakar, just ahead of his brother Luciano (Husqvarna) at 31 seconds.

The Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren (Honda), in the lead at the last intermediate point, deliberately slowed down and finished 3rd at 1 min 27, thus avoiding the heavy task of opening the special of the 9th stage on Tuesday, announced as complicated.

Parti fort sur cette huitième étape, Adrien Van Beveren termine finalement troisième, pour « ne pas partir devant demain ».

💬 « J'aime mon sport, j'aime rouler vite, j'aime la compétition. Le côté stratégie me frustre énormément. » #Dakar2024 pic.twitter.com/NLMMhtyR7q

— la chaine L'Équipe (@lachainelequipe) January 15, 2024

"I don't like it when strategy takes over sport", reacted hotly "BVA". 'Stopping, that's not what I like about sport, it's not fun. I don't know if it will pay off.

On Tuesday, the competitors will face a complete 9th stage: more than 400 km of special, dunes, complicated navigation and rocky and sandy tracks.

Leader in the general classification, the American Ricky Brabec (Honda) finishes his race at 4 min 08 and grabs a few seconds on his pursuer, the Botswanan Ross Branch (Hero), now 2nd at 42 seconds.

Adrien Van Beveren. MAXPPP – Gerard Laurenssen

"It'It was complicated because some competitors slowed down because tomorrow's course is supposed to be tricky", underlined the American biker.

Fourth in the stage at 1 min 41, the Chilean Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) maintains his 3rd place 4 min 21 behind his teammate Brabec.