Dubai (Etihad)
The opening day of the Dakar Rally in its 44th edition in Saudi Arabia, with a total distance of 8,375 km and a two-week run, saw all the cars of the Bahrain Red Extreme team enter the top ten.
The first stage was held not far from Jeddah, with a distance of 19 km, and was considered a very important test as it was the first-ever stage of the new five-round World Rally Championship, which was launched in 2022.
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah set the fastest time in the first stage of this huge sporting challenge, driving a Toyota 12 seconds ahead of Audi driver Carlos Sainz.
A total of 409 cars, bikes, quads and trucks left Jeddah, with maintenance and service teams comprising more than 2,500 people including 44 members of the Bahrain Red Extreme team, which includes three Brodraf Hunters and six crews consisting of Nani Roma / Alex Haro, Sebastien Loeb / Fabien Lorquin and Orly. Terranova / Dani Oliveiras.
Using the sustainable Prodrive Eco Power fuel developed specifically for the 3.5-liter V6 biturbo engine, the cars produce 80% less CO2 and will save 28 tons of fuel for the duration of the event.
With such a short stage as the Dakar Rally opener, the three Bahrain Red Extreme drivers set their own pace surprisingly well, across a variety of terrain, with Sebastien Loeb in fifth, Nani Roma in seventh and Orly Terranova in tenth.
Drivers have now covered 810 km from the start in Jeddah after a long transition before starting again tomorrow to cross a 333 km stage around the mountainous Hail region in the north of Saudi Arabia.
At the end of the opening stage, Sebastien Loeb said: “We were driving at full speed and it’s where we all want to be, so it’s a great feeling after the preparations we’ve all put in with Bahrain Red Extreme.
“It’s really good to start from Dakar again,” said Nani Roma, winner of the 2014 Dakar Rally. The stage was fast at first and there were many dunes, so it was hard to catch the sun in your eyes.
Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi and his new German co-driver, Dirk von Zitzwitz, had a tough day in their Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 3008 DKR, but the Emirati relaxed after finishing 32nd.
Khalid Al Qassimi said, “We knew it wouldn’t be easy with a 2WD car and so much sand in the stage that we couldn’t have the right thrust. But we have become more familiar with each other as a driver and a navigator, and I will get to know the car again, as it’s been almost a year since I’ve been driving. she has”.
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