Brazilian led two of the 12 sections in which the seventh special was divided, this Sunday
After a day of rest, the teams competing in the 2024 edition of the Dakar Rally resumed the race this Sunday (14), with a 483km special between Riyadh and Al Duwadimi, in Saudi Arabia. It's the beginning of the second week of the iconic challenge, with the race ending next Friday (19). Last year's revelation and making his debut in the A team of the Toyota Gazoo Racing team, Brazilian Lucas Moraes had a very productive journey.
The driver, whose navigator is Spaniard Armand Monleón, finished today's course in second place and thus rose to third place in the accumulated classification of the seven days of the race already contested. The timed route was divided into 12 sections, with the Toyota duo being the fastest in two of them. The victory in the special went to the duo formed by Frenchman Sebastian Loeb and Belgian navigator Fabian Lurquin, who drive a Prodrive Hunter. Spaniards Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz (Audi RS Q e-tron E2) are the first placed in the accumulated classification (see results below), with Loeb and Lurquin in second place.
A TON OF ROCKS
“Today the scenario has changed a lot. We had a stone floor practically the entire way, and much less sand. We had a flat tire 50km from the end, which was slowly releasing air, and we chose not to stop for a change. We ended up with the wheel on the rim – I apologized to the team for that. But it was worth it for the result we achieved”, said the Brazilian, who is supported by Red Bull, Repsol, Strava, Oakley and Zapalla and whose team is sponsored by the Brazilian tire brand SpeedMax.
“Looking now, I think our objective could be to fight for the podium, you know?”, observed Moraes, who obtained the first podium for a Brazilian driver in the general classification of the main category in the 2023 edition of the Dakar, in third place – a fact that gives him The invitation to join Toyota's main team was worth it. “Deep down, as a driver, I still believe in victory. If it weren't for the rollover we had in the fifth stage, we would have been much better compared to the first two placed. But there are still five stages left – five days of racing – and we will continue fighting. Let's keep pushing. That's how we got here, right? Let’s keep dreaming of this result.”
AIR ASSISTANCE
Brazil has a record delegation at the Dakar. In total, there are 17 representatives in different categories – and different stories in the 2024 edition of the race. In the previous special, for example, the duo Rodrigo Varela/Enio Bozzano Júnior (Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo) spent two nights stuck in the desert, struggling, having to ration food and water with other injured competitors.
“The rescue helicopter had to prioritize injured competitors in other parts of the desert. Therefore, we had to wait two nights to return to camp”, reported Varela, who alongside Bozzano started the race in the lead of the UTV T4 category. This Sunday, the duo supported by Divino Fogão, Can-Am, Motul and Quadrijet finished in ninth place.
Another who had been running a strong campaign and had difficulties was Marcelo Medeiros (Yamaha Raptor 700), who competes in the Quadricycle category with the support of Mardisa/Viação Estrela/Taguatur Fiat/Sedel. One of the favorites for victory, in today's special he suffered a fall, without causing serious injuries, but was forced to abandon the race.
The Dakar opens the week, this Monday, with a 458km special between Al Dawadimi and Hail.
Automatic translation of the Brazilian Portuguese available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: BestPR
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