Dakar 2024 – Before Sébastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz, how did these other fierce duels end?

The Dakar 2024 is marked by a formidable duel between two big names in motorsport: Sébastien Loeb (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) and Carlos Sainz (Audi). The first named has been chasing the Spanish veteran (61 years old) for almost a week, and oscillates between good days (4 stage victories) and bad days (puncture, lack of reliability on the part of his Prodrive team and navigation error) .

Before the final two stages of this Dakar 2024, Carlos Sainz has a 13’22” margin over Sébastien Loeb. It's not much, but how much? And above all, has such a delay been made up for in the history of the Dakar?

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The last time that two competitors fought for the final victory, almost neck and neck, was in 2017, in South America. On type specials WRC, a fratricidal struggle opposed Stéphane Peterhansel to Sébastien Loeb in their Peugeot 3008 DKR diesel. " Sir Dakar Rally » had regained the advantage over the Alsatian by 5'50'' two days before the arrival in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Despite an all-out attack, particularly during the penultimate day, Sébastien Loeb was only able to regain a handful of seconds. The nine-time WRC world champion had in fact punctured a tire, when he had just beaten the former biker by 2’56”!

Stéphane Peterhansel was also involved in a tense finish in 2014. While driving X-Raid Mini, the Frenchman quickly caught up with the leader Nani Roma, who happened to be... his teammate, only 2'15'' away in the lead. Fearing that the situation would turn sour internally, Sven Quandt decided to freeze the positions, to the great displeasure of the native of Échenoz-la-Méline (Haute-Saône), who was much quicker in the second week. The current Ford driver wins.

Nani Roma and Stéphane Peterhansel in 2014. Photo DPPI / F. Flamand

A battle within the same team, this also happened in 2010. At Volkswagen, Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al-Attiyah did not do each other any favors, so much so that the two men almost collided at the finish of a special. Finally, the Spaniard, who had a lead of 5'20'' over the Qatari, kept his nerves extremely tight: 2'12'' at the finish! This is still the narrowest gap in the history of the race.

Since Dakar 2010, relations have not been good between Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al-Attiyah. Photo DPPI / F. Flamand

We can clearly see that in the recent history of the Dakar, positions between the leader of the competition and his direct pursuer have never been exchanged so close to the goal. But the past does not always have the value of future truth!