Dakar 2024 – Mattias Ekström: “Some negotiated this prologue without attacking”

Mattias Ekström (Audi) is the man of the prologues. Already the fastest at the start of the Dakar Rally 2023, the Swede did it again this Friday January 5 around Al-Ula (Saudi Arabia). The 45-year-old driver was right to approach this short 27 km special with the desire to do battle.

“When I sit in this Audi, I want to go hard. Slowing down on purpose is something I never liked doing during my career. It would distract me not to drive to the maximum of my abilities. When I crossed the finish line, I said to Emil (Bergkvist, his co-pilot. Editor’s note) that I couldn't do better!

Fastest on Friday: @mattiasekstroem and @emilbergkvist1 won the prologue of the 2024 @Dakar Rally with the #207 Audi RS Q e-tron*. The first stage of the 46th edition of the event will take place tomorrow.#FutureIsAnAttitude #AudiDakar # Dakar2024 #RSQetron pic.twitter.com/E55l4PIo1b

- Audi Sport (@audisport) January 5, 2024

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This prologue was perfectly representative of what we will find on the Dakar. I was a little surprised, I was expecting a course like WRC Today !"

The former double champion of DTM as well as World RX judges the status of the rankings of this prologue. “We can clearly see that some pilots voluntarily negotiated this prologue without attacking (Al-Rajhi and Sainz). I expect several T3 cars to move into the top positions. This will mix up the pack a bit. »