Dakar leader Nasser Al-Attiyah will remain under threat of exclusion until the finish. Transmission broken, Sébastien Loeb is pushed back to 37 minutes.
A sword of Damocles hovers above Nasser Al-Attiyah and will remain there until the arrival of the 44th edition of the Dakar, scheduled for January 14. Indeed, Qatari, current leader in the automotive category, is under the threat of outright exclusion from the event after having been the subject of a “suspensive disqualification”, Monday evening. At the end of the second stage, theToyota Hilux data logger was disconnected, preventing the FIA scrutineers from checking in particular whether the turbo boost displayed a power curve in line with the regulations. The team Overdrive, responsible for Toyota engagement, put forward the thesis of a “Simple mistake” of a mechanic and promised it wouldn’t happen again, getting by with a 5,000 euros fine.
=> DIRECT – Follow the Dakar 2022 on our special page
For his part, Nasser Al-Attiyah therefore escaped any immediate sanction, receiving a simple suspension of exclusion. However, this means thatin the event of a similar error until the finish, this time he would be disqualified. In the meantime, on the track, the three-time winner of the Dakar (2011, 2015, 2019) took advantage of the third stage to consolidate his status as leader, after a special shortened from 368 km to 255 km due to severe weather conditions in northern Saudi Arabia. In question, the mechanical problems encountered by his runner-up, Sébastien Loeb. In the grip of a transmission failure at the start of the special, his BRX being in two-wheel drive, the Alsatian reached the finish with 33 minutes behind the fastest time signed by Carlos Sainz (Audi) at the wheel of its hybrid prototype. In the general classification, the nine-time world rally champion retains second place, but his deficit on Nasser Al-Attiyah increased from 9 to 37 minutes.
Conversely, the motorcycle stage did the business of a Frenchman, in the person ofAdrien Van Beveren (Yamaha). Although he only finished in ninth position, the Northerner has regained time from most of his direct rivals. Thereby, his regularity from the start has earned him second place in the general classification, just four seconds behind the leader! This is the Briton Sam Sunderland (KTM), winner of the event in 2017, while this third stage gave rise to the first victory for Portuguese Joaquim Rodrigues and the Hero team.
VIDEO – Sébastien Loeb reacts to the finish, after conceding 28 minutes to Nasser Al-Attiyah.
🚗 From four to two-wheel drive. @SebastienLoeb lost more than 28 minutes over @AlAttiyahN today. Here is the explanation: #Dakar2022 pic.twitter.com/mXYDyhODWi
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 4, 2022
Picture for: Icon Sport
More informations :
Dakar: winner of a “perfect special”, Loeb puts pressure on Al-Attiyah
Dakar 2022: Audi, the story of a mirage
Dakar: injured, Peterhansel loses all hope of victory – VIDEO
Dakar leader Nasser Al-Attiyah will remain under threat of exclusion until the finish. Transmission broken, Sébastien Loeb is pushed back to 37 minutes.
A sword of Damocles hovers above Nasser Al-Attiyah and will remain there until the arrival of the 44th edition of the Dakar, scheduled for January 14. Indeed, Qatari, current leader in the automotive category, is under the threat of outright exclusion from the event after having been the subject of a “suspensive disqualification”, Monday evening. At the end of the second stage, theToyota Hilux data logger was disconnected, preventing the FIA scrutineers from checking in particular whether the turbo boost displayed a power curve in line with the regulations. The team Overdrive, responsible for Toyota engagement, put forward the thesis of a “Simple mistake” of a mechanic and promised it wouldn’t happen again, getting by with a 5,000 euros fine.
=> DIRECT – Follow the Dakar 2022 on our special page
For his part, Nasser Al-Attiyah therefore escaped any immediate sanction, receiving a simple suspension of exclusion. However, this means thatin the event of a similar error until the finish, this time he would be disqualified. In the meantime, on the track, the three-time winner of the Dakar (2011, 2015, 2019) took advantage of the third stage to consolidate his status as leader, after a special shortened from 368 km to 255 km due to severe weather conditions in northern Saudi Arabia. In question, the mechanical problems encountered by his runner-up, Sébastien Loeb. In the grip of a transmission failure at the start of the special, his BRX being in two-wheel drive, the Alsatian reached the finish with 33 minutes behind the fastest time signed by Carlos Sainz (Audi) at the wheel of its hybrid prototype. In the general classification, the nine-time world rally champion retains second place, but his deficit on Nasser Al-Attiyah increased from 9 to 37 minutes.
Conversely, the motorcycle stage did the business of a Frenchman, in the person ofAdrien Van Beveren (Yamaha). Although he only finished in ninth position, the Northerner has regained time from most of his direct rivals. Thereby, his regularity from the start has earned him second place in the general classification, just four seconds behind the leader! This is the Briton Sam Sunderland (KTM), winner of the event in 2017, while this third stage gave rise to the first victory for Portuguese Joaquim Rodrigues and the Hero team.
VIDEO – Sébastien Loeb reacts to the finish, after conceding 28 minutes to Nasser Al-Attiyah.
🚗 From four to two-wheel drive. @SebastienLoeb lost more than 28 minutes over @AlAttiyahN today. Here is the explanation: #Dakar2022 pic.twitter.com/mXYDyhODWi
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 4, 2022
Picture for: Icon Sport
More informations :
Dakar: winner of a “perfect special”, Loeb puts pressure on Al-Attiyah
Dakar 2022: Audi, the story of a mirage
Dakar: injured, Peterhansel loses all hope of victory – VIDEO
