DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia – Sebastien Loeb is considered by many to be the greatest racer. Nine-time world champion.
In a rally raid in which Dakar was the biggest challenge, Loeb bowed to Nasser Al-Attiyah, the world raiding champion and fifth Dakar winner on Sunday.
Ahead of the latest race in Saudi Arabia, Loeb wishes he had the ability to read the terrain, sense problem areas and experience Al-Attiyah’s enviable desert experience.
“To beat them, you have to have a perfect race,” says Loeb.
No one else can avoid trouble like Al-Attiyah and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in their race. Toyota. Of the nine Dakars together, they have won the title four times, finished second four times and been eliminated once.
Al-Attiyah led Dakar for the final 13 days of the tournament’s 15 days and beat Loeb in 80 minutes – the biggest gap in 20 years – but the Qataris didn’t feel comfortable until the three big chasers His best was effectively eliminated on stage six.
Stephane Peterhansel, Yazeed Al Rajhi and Carlos Sainz, the only drivers within 55 minutes of Al-Attiyah, crashed several kilometers apart. Peterhansel’s co-pilot, Edouard Boulanger, was taken to hospital with back injuries. Al Rajhi and Sainz were trapped for hours.
Sainz continued until the second collision on stage nine, which was overshadowed by a spectator who died of his injuries after being hit by a vans competitor. This is the fifth death on Dakar since it moved to Saudi Arabia in 2020.
Local driver Al Rajhi, who finished third last year, finished 37th and is 37 hours behind Al-Attiyah.
Al-Attiyah’s lead has increased by more than an hour and he no longer has to try.
“We don’t have to attack like crazy,” he said. “We got through the second week and won, that’s what really matters. I’m happy to have won five times and Mathieu four times. . . sorry Mathieu!”
His fifth Dakar title eclipsed Ari Vatanen and is second only to Peterhansel, Dakar’s greatest champion with 14 wins, eight in the top car category.
Loeb won six straight races, a record for an elite auto driver and seven races in all, the most since Sainz in 2011. Loeb finished second for the second year and third in a row.
Brazil’s Lucas Moraes came in an impressive third, the first rookie to step onto the podium in 35 years. He came in after 98 minutes but nearly an hour ahead of fourth place.
Argentinian rider Kevin Benavides won his second motorcycle title after beating KTM Teammate Toby Price 43 seconds after more than 4,000 km to the closest finish in rally history.
They were the last riders to start the 14th stage 136km on the east coast of Al-Hofuf.
“This morning, my head was empty minus every kilometer of the leg, from 0 to 136,” Benvavides said. “It’s unbelievable to win at the end of this absolutely insane Dakar, and with such a small gap. I am also the first to win with two different motorcycle brands and that makes me very proud.”
Benavides, after 12 Seconds Overall Price, were wiped out by the first test score. Halfway through, he led by nearly two minutes because the two-time Australian champion missed two checkpoints and had to turn back. Price turned around, but the Benavides won the race after 55 seconds.
He won in 2021 and was in the race last year until his engine blew up on stage 10. Like Al-Attiyah, he was in the top three from stage three, but was got his biggest hit on Saturday after stopping to help struggling teammate Matthias Walkner. 2018 champion.
Skyler Howes, the American who led the class for six days, finished third after five minutes on the podium for the first time.
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