Sainz: “2nd or 3rd, it’s the same”

Carlos Sainz, during the second week of the Dakar, lost his bet: to do the double after his victory in 2010. The Spaniard especially lost enormously during these last two days, by crashing into the sand on Wednesday and breaking a suspension this THURSDAY. Now almost 1h30? by Nasser Al-Attiyah, the double World Rally Champion knows that he no longer has any hope, because only victory interested him.

“I did my best, I was in Nasser's dust and I didn't see a hole. I fell in and broke the suspension, he explained upon his arrival in San Juan. I tried everything I could to attack, I'm not here to come second. For me it's first or nothing. So finishing second or third is the same. »

For Stéphane Peterhansel, this Thursday will lead to a much less exciting end to the event. “Carlos’ breakage will allow Nasser to manage these last two days much more comfortably. Carlos had already lost the Dakar two years ago two days from the finish. We know that the Dakar is always complicated to win, and he will measure this difficulty again. »