Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz win the 2024 Dakar for Audi!

Dakar 2024, Stage 12 – Ranking

Dakar 2024 – General classification

• This final stage of the Dakar 2024, traced around Yanbu (Saudi Arabia) over only 170 km, has changed nothing in the state of the general classification. The stroll along the Red Sea was a formality for Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz, who won the 46th edition of the rally-raid at the end of an exciting duel with Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin (BRX). Nicknamed “El Matador”, Carlos Sainz won his fourth victory on a Dakar there, after the 2010 (Volkswagen) and 2018 (Peugeot ) in South America, and 2020 in Saudi Arabia (Mini).

Carlos Sainz, big winner of the Dakar 2024, was welcomed and congratulated by his son on arrival 👏# Dakar2024 pic.twitter.com/VbhAeUgikk

— la chaine L'Équipe (@lachainelequipe) January 19, 2024

• For Audi, this is their very first success in the Dakar. The fruit of long work, because the German brand developed a revolutionary 2021×4 during the year 4, including 3 electric motors derived from the Formula E as well as a turbo gasoline engine from the DTM serving as a generator. After a promising discovery in 2022 followed by a complete disaster in 2023 (Sainz and Peterhansel accidents), the Rings firm finally achieves its goals.
• The podium is completed, once again, by Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin. As in 2022 and 2023, they were beaten by those stronger than them, even if their stage victory counter is, once again, higher than the final winners. The Franco-Belgian duo ends this Dakar in style with a 5th stage victory this Friday.
• For his first start in the premier category on a Dakar, Guillaume de Mévius (Toyota) amazed his world. The Belgian climbs onto the podium with his French navigator Xavier Panseri, while having won Stage 1. Second in the last stage, 5'09 behind Loeb, and second in the general classification, de Mévius is undoubtedly one of the future greats names of this sport!
• Stunt driver Guerlain Chicherit calmed down at the end of Dakar 2024. After signing two fastest times in quick succession, the Toyota Overdrive driver took 4th place in the final general classification, his best career performance.
• In a sea of ​​Toyota Hilux T1+s, privateer Martin Prokop fought his way to 5th place. Not bad for someone who builds and develops his Ford Raptor without help from the Ford factory or from M-Sport, totally transparent on this race for their debut (abandonment of Nani Roma).
• The French Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier (Century) finished again as honorary winners of the two-wheel drive vehicles (10th), ahead of Christian Lavieille and Valentin Sarreaud on the new Optimus Evo 5 buggy from MD Rallye Sport. Laia Sanz and Maurizio Gerini (Century) are 3rd.
• In the Challenger category (ex-T3), the Americans Mitch Guthrie and Kellon Walch should have brought Taurus a first victory on a Dakar. But a transmission failure in the final kilometers allowed Cristina Gutiérrez, associated with Pablo Moreno, also on a Taurus, to win at the last minute!
• In SSV, the triumph went to the French Xavier de Soultrait and Martin Bonnet, for the debut of the Polaris RZR Pro R with the Sébastien Loeb Racing team. It was a close call as Jérôme de Sadeleer and Michaël Metge (Can-Am) failed just 2 minutes behind!

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