Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb claimed his first stage victory at the 2024 Dakar Rally on Tuesday, while Yazeed Al-Rajhi retained the overall lead in a distant second place.
Facing challenges from the beginning of the rally in Saudi Arabia, Loeb, behind the wheel of his Prodrive, had a tough start due to punctures and steering issues. Before the fourth stage, he was in the ninth position in the overall standings. However, he showed why he remains one of the most respected names in the rally world.
Tuesday's stage, a 299 km test between Al Salamiyah and Al-Hofuf, was the scene of his impressive comeback. Overcoming previous issues, Loeb surged ahead of stage leaders, including Nasser Al-Attiyah and local favorite Al-Rajhi, in the final sections, securing a victory. With his win, Loeb has climbed to sixth place but still faces a significant deficit of 23m50s to reach the lead in the remaining two-thirds of the rally.
Defending champion Al-Attiyah stayed ahead from the start in his Nasser Racing Prodrive Hunter. With rivals like Toyota's Seth Quintero and Loeb's teammate Al-Rajhi, the competition was fierce. Despite leading at the penultimate checkpoint, Al-Attiyah lost valuable time in the final stretch, allowing Al-Rajhi and then Loeb to overtake him.
Competition was equally intense among the other competitors. Carlos Sainz Sr, in the top-performing Audi, finished behind Al-Attiyah. Guillaume de Mevius, Al-Rajhi's teammate at Overdrive, finished fifth.
Mathieu Serradori and Vaidotas Zala, in the X-Raid Mini, also had standout performances, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. This day proved to be a challenge for the Toyota factory team, with Lucas Moraes as their best performer, although he lost 11 minutes to Loeb. Moraes's teammate Quintero faced even greater difficulties, ending his stage participation due to mechanical issues. With four out of the 12 stages completed, Al-Rajhi continues to lead in his Overdrive-managed Toyota, with a 4m19s advantage over Sainz's Audi.
Moraes's teammate Quintero faced even greater difficulties, ending his stage participation due to mechanical issues. With four out of the 12 stages completed, Al-Rajhi continues to lead in his Overdrive-managed Toyota, with a 4m19s advantage over Sainz's Audi.
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yazeed Al-Rajhi | Audi | 15h44m39s |
| 2 | Carlos Sainz | Toyota | +4m29s |
| 3 | Nasser Al-Attiyah | Prodrive | +11m03s |
| 4 | Lucas Moraes | Toyota | +19m31s |
| 5 | Mattias Ekstrom | Toyota | +19m42s |
| 6 | Sebastien Loeb | Audi | +23m50s |
| 7 | Mathieu Serradori | Prodrive | +24m20s |
| 8 | Stephane Peterhansel | Toyota | +26m56s |
| 9 | Vaidotas Zala | Audi | +32m52s |
| 10 | Guillaume de Mevius | Toyota | +40m43s |
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