A comparatively clear 4th stage allowed defending champions, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel, to increase their general lead within the 2023 Dakar Rally to 18min 18sec over the privately entered Toyota Hilux T1+ of Yazeed Al Rajhi in second place. A single puncture was the one blot on an in any other case clear sheet for the Qatari celebrity and his French co-driver. Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings additionally had a profitable stage, finishing the stage with no single puncture. They began the stage because the second automotive on the highway, which made it considerably tough to search out the route. However, they discovered tempo, usually sharing the highway with one of their opponents, and making it to the end simply 7min 23sec adrift of the stage winners.
Nasser and Mathieu posted the 4th-fastest time on Stage 4, trailing the stage winners residence by simply 2min 06sec over the 425km-long particular. Their nearest opponents relinquished 7min 04sec on the day, growing the GR DKR Hilux T1+ crew’s benefit within the general standings.
Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings battle for fifth
Despite a harsh penalty of 20min incurred within the first stage, Henk and Brett have moved up into 5th place within the general rating, simply 45min 25sec off the lead, and inside 13min of 4th place. Having accomplished Stage 4 because the 6th-fastest automotive, they’ll be the 6th automotive on the highway for Stage 5, inserting them in place from which to assault.
Stage 4 additionally introduced a clear run for Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy. The pair began the stage because the 27th automotive on the highway, which hampered their progress within the thick, moist sand that marked the early elements of the stage. They pushed on regardless of the highway circumstances, recording the 9th-fastest time on the stage, 16min 11sec behind the winners.
This outcome leaves them in 7th general, although their deficit to teammates Nasser and Mathieu have grown to 46min 13sec. They are simply 46sec behind the crew forward of them, lower than a minute behind Henk and Brett in 5th. Their highway place for Stage 5 sees them begin in 9th place, which ought to enhance their probabilities for a extra aggressive stage time.
Stage 5 of Dakar 2023 will begin and end on the bivouac close to the town of Ha’il, the place chilly climate and a rainstorm marked the arrival of the Dakar Rally on January 3rd. A liaison of 145km will take the crews from the bivouac to the beginning of the stage, whereafter they are going to full a timed particular of 374km. Finally, a liaison of 130km will deliver them again to the bivouac.
Three extra phases will comply with Stage 5, earlier than the rally reaches the remainder day on the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The second week of the occasion will happen largely within the so-called Empty Quarter within the southern half of Saudi Arabia, earlier than the occasion concludes within the coastal metropolis of Dammam on January 15th.
Quotes:
“Someone once said that any day where you lead the Dakar is a good day, and as such today was another good day for us. Nasser drove a very steady stage with no problems, to extend his lead at the top by five minutes. So, no complaints today – let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal
“It was a very difficult day yet again. Not an easy one. But I’m happy to have come through the stage without any serious drama, except for one flat tyre. We finished in fourth place on today’s stage, so our road position tomorrow will be much better. We’re still in the overall lead, and to me it is quite important to hold onto that lead, so that we can control the first week of the race.”
Nasser Al-Attiyah
“We had a fairly good stage today, though the wet sand made the going quite difficult in the morning. We had a relatively clean day, and the car ran well all day. At the very least we’ve moved up the order in terms of our road position, which should make things a bit easier tomorrow.”
Giniel de Villiers
(*5*)
Henk Lategan
DAKAR 2023: Stage 4 Results
| POS. | N° | CREW | TEAM | TIME | VARIATION |
| 1 | 201 | (FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN | BAHRAIN RAID XTREME | 04H 11′ 34” | |
| 2 | 204 | (FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL(FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 04H 11′ 47” | + 00H 00′ 13” |
| 3 | 207 | (ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZ | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 04H 13′ 24” | + 00H 01′ 50” |
| 4 | 200 | (QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux t1+ | 04H 13′ 40” | + 00H 02′ 06” |
| 5 | 202 | (SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ | OVERDRIVE RACING | 04H 18′ 38” | + 00H 07′ 04” |
| 6 | 217 | (ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux t1+ | 04H 18′ 57” | + 00H 07′ 23” |
| 7 | 211 | (SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 04H 22′ 19” | + 00H 10′ 45” |
| 8 | 230 | (BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK | OVERDRIVE RACING | 04H 25′ 22” | + 00H 13′ 48” |
| 9 | 205 | (ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux t1+ | 04H 27′ 45” | + 00H 16′ 11” |
| 10 | 231 | (FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO | REBELLION RACING | 04H 43′ 56” | + 00H 32′ 22” |
DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 4
| POS. | N° | CREW | TEAM | TIME | VARIATION |
| 1 | 200 | (QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+ | 16H 34′ 13” | |
| 2 | 202 | (SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ | OVERDRIVE RACING | 16H 52′ 31” | + 00H 18′ 18” |
| 3 | 204 | (FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL(FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 16H 53′ 05” | + 00H 18′ 52” |
| 4 | 207 | (ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZ | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 17H 07′ 08” | + 00H 32′ 55” |
| 5 | 217 | (ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+ | 17H 19′ 38” | + 00H 45′ 25” |
| 6 | 230 | (BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK | OVERDRIVE RACING | 17H 19′ 40” | + 00H 45′ 27” |
| 7 | 205 | (ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY | TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+ | 17H 20′ 26” | + 00H 46′ 13” |
| 8 | 211 | (SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 17H 24′ 13” | + 00H 50′ 00” |
| 9 | 210 | (CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA | ORLEN BENZINA TEAM | 17H 48′ 56” | + 01H 14′ 43” |
| 10 | 215 | (NLD) ERIK VAN LOON(FRA) SÉBASTIEN DELAUNAY | OVERDRIVE RACING | 17H 49′ 53” | + 01H 15′ 40” |
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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing enjoys a mutually useful relationship with its companions Red Bull, Kinto, Eurol and the Innovation Group. The crew can also be supported by Hallspeed, SKF, Spanjaard, Edgecam, Supreme Springs, Shatterprufe, Smith’s Manufacturing, Oakley, Lumotech, OMP, MSA, SACCS and the FIA. Thanks additionally to Ingco, Jonsson Workwear and USN for his or her assist.
Posted by Toyota South Africa DAKAR on MotorPress
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