Dakar | Sainz disappointed: “Slowed down by Dumas' dust”

The fourth stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally left a change in the general classification, with Carlos Sainz losing a few minutes to Yazeed Al Rajhi, but the Spanish driver remains leading the race. With his Audi, he managed to climb to fourth place for the day and, speaking to the press, he said he was satisfied with how things are going for him.

However, the Spaniard said that Romain Dumas gave him a hard time during the 299 kilometer special stage to the Al-Hofuf bivouac, where he told those present, including Motorsport.com: “It was a stage in which we struggled to understand the roadbook, we struggled to understand where it was.”

“It wasn't easy, there were many options, but the main problem today was the dust [Romain] Dumas”, explained Carlos Sainz. “We reached him and remained behind him for several kilometres. We got to neutralization and he saw that we were behind, 20 or 25 seconds, and nothing. We pressed the Sentinel again and again, and after 30 or 40 kilometers [è stato] when he moved to let us pass, we were in the dust and bang, puncture.”

“I hit a stone and nothing…” continued the Spaniard, who chases Yazeed Al Rajhi in the fight for the Touareg trophy. “We didn't have much luck, but that's what happens at the Dakar, then we saw that he stopped and I'll talk to him to see [cosa ha da dire]”.

Furthermore, the Audi driver explained what he has in mind for the rest of the Dakar Rally, which he hopes to arrive at the key days with options: “With everything that awaits us, it is good to stay close. We have to arrive at the rest day with options and whether this will be the case, a decision will be made next week.”

The Spaniard was also asked about Nasser Al Attiyah, who assured that his team will only last three days, which he already did at the end of the fourth stage. The three-time race winner responded with confidence and wants to finish the job later: “We hope they don't just hold on for three days, but that they hold on for three weeks.”

However, his participation could have ended prematurely in the marathon, as a pothole almost caused him to flip over: “The problem is always the dust. Yesterday I hit a pothole, I jumped to the side and, when I landed, I scraped the wheel, I got a puncture and saw a lot of lights everywhere that must have been heavy.”

“I had to change the wheel and reset the whole car, but that's how things go,” said Carlos Sainz, who hopes luck will be on his side until the finish line, but first there will be a 48-hour special test in middle of nowhere. “We will have to review the tactics, because no one will want to open the day the day after tomorrow without traces of motorbikes.”

“There can be a lot of differences in these two days. There will probably be a train, and then when you start minute by minute on the second day, whoever leaves last can make up a lot of time, because it is always easier to start behind,” he said. “You have to have a bit of luck and also be intelligent from a tactical point of view.