Dakar 2023 – Stage 5: Nasser Al-Attiyah sets the record straight, Loeb at fault

Don't piss off a Qatari! Angry following the decision of officials rgiving power to hybrid Audis the evening before, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) went into overdrive on this fifth stage of the Dakar 2023 around Ha'il (Saudi Arabia), this Thursday, January 5.

The outgoing winner of the rally-raid, associated with the French navigator Mathieu Baumel (also protested against this choice of technical regulation), led at full speed on this first special stage of large dunes. The race was not easy, however, with a four-way battle forming from the first kilometers of a special with only 374 kilometers.

The leadership of this stage changed hands three times between the driver of the Toyota Hilux T1+, Sébastien Loeb (Bahrain Raid Xtreme), Stéphane Peterhansel (Audi) and Carlos Sainz (Audi). Realize, after 282 km, this leading group was only 1'17'' behind!

The end of the course, however, was fatal for Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin, who had to stop after turning around behind a dune. The world rally raid vice-champions (W2RC) left after 20 minutes of work.

🚗 @SebastienLoeb was driving for the podium but he crashed in the last kilometers and had to change a wheel, losing nearly 20 minutes. 🛠# Dakar2023 pic.twitter.com/6sBE9E6CwS

- DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 5, 2023

The hybrid Audis were left behind in the home stretch, even if the gaps are slim. Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz conceded 1'57'' and Stéphane Peterhansel and Édouard Boulanger finished with a 3'44'' disbursement.

In the general classification, everything is going well for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel, whose lead in first position has been extended to more than 20 minutes.

More information to come.

Dakar Rally 2023 – Ranking of the 5th stage:

General classification :