Dakar, poker Sainz: “Loeb's gesture? I didn't see it”

Sainz serves poker

The one between Carlos Sainz and Sebastien Loeb was a arm wrestling ended a 'day' early. Today the 12th stage of the 46th edition of the Dakar is scheduled for the Audi driver and it will be a simple catwalk. Loeb's technical knockout yesterday, in fact, allowed Sainz to pull out all the stops given that now the most 'dangerous' opponent is the Toyota driver De Mevius who is almost an hour and a half behind the Spanish driver.

Therefore, after having inaugurated the successes at Dakar in 2010 with Volkswagen and having continued with Peugeot in 2018 and Mini in 2020, now Sainz is preparing to set the fourth gem to his personal crown as 'tamer' of the most famous raid in the world, a fourth Four Circle necklace for the joy of Audi , who will thus leave the Dakar with the satisfaction of having brought success to the hybrid buggy that debuted in 2022.

“With so many stones a puncture is always around the corner and could have complicated things – commented Sainz at the end of the eleventh stage – I don't know what happened to Loebbut in light of the situation in the last 100 km I took my foot off the accelerator, there was no point in taking unnecessary risks.”

Sebastien Loeb found himself with the suspension knocked out and when he passed Sainz gave him broad signs to slow down. The rival didn't notice: “I did not see it. I only saw that Loeb was standing there, but there are so many stones that you don't have much time to look elsewhere.”, the words of Sainz. Now the Madrilenian just has to 'finish the job': “We must continue as we have done up to now, remaining focused. It worked for now. The car has been perfect until now. I will study the special carefully together with Lucas Cruz and we will check that everything is in order on the Audi buggy.”