Defending double Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka, co-driven by Gilles Picard, has claimed the lead in the 2004 Telefónica Dakar Rally after setting his first fastest stage time of this year's event.
The Japanese Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution driver holds a six minute and 40 second lead over Stéphane Peterhansel, who maintains Mitsubishi's one- two at the end of the sixth leg and fifth competitive section.
Team-mate "Miki" Biasion rolled the third Pajero / Montero Evolution in yesterday's section, while Andrea Mayer, driving a Pajero / Montero, has moved up to 10th in the overall standings.
Yesterday's leg took the crews in a south-westerly direction from Ouarzazate to the windy settlement of Tan-Tan, close to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. After a 176 kilometer liaison section, crews embarked on a 351 kilometer tactical stage through the Valley of the Drâa that required a measured and strategic approach.
The section was fast and twisty but full of rocks, tricky dips and bumps all waiting to catch out the unwary, and those who were calculated, mixing speed with extra caution, undoubtedly came out on top. Another 276 kilometer road section, passing through the town of Guelmime, now takes the convoy to Tan-Tan for the overnight halt. Masuoka started the day in second position, one minute and 12 seconds adrift of Peterhansel after a raft of penalties were incurred by a number of leading competitors last night. The Japanese Pajero / Montero Evolution driver overhauled his team-mate however when the Frenchman was forced to stop and change a puncture.
Masuoka and Picard powered to the end of the longest stage to date, setting fastest time to claim the Japanese driver's 22nd fastest time on the Dakar Rally. The pair now has nearly 18 minutes in hand to Mitsubishi's nearest rival, South African Giniel de Villiers (Nissan).
"I knew that yesterday and today were going to be crucial stages", said Masuoka, Dakar Rally winner in 2002 and 2003. "I was pleased with my performance into Ouarzazate and it was great today to win my first special stage this year. I have a small lead, but that means nothing at this early point in the race".
Double former World Rally Champion "Miki" Biasion and co-driver Tiziano Siviero suffered a serious set-back to their Dakar Rally challenge today when they rolled Mitsubishi's third Pajero / Montero Evolution. Despite escaping injury, the car was too badly damaged for the crew to finish the stage and they have been forced to await the assistance truck.
Andrea Mayer and past Dakar Rally-winning co-driver Andreas Schulz enjoyed a trouble-free day in the team's fourth car, the pair completing the stage in 11th position to climb from 13th to 10th overall in their Pajero / Montero.
"We had a good run through today's stage and are happy to be back inside the top 10", said Mayer. "It was so disappointing to see "Miki" have a major problem, but Hiroshi and Stéphane continue to drive very well and my job as a support driver may well take on an even more crucial role in the coming days as we head into the Sahara".
Tomorrow's leg is the longest of the 2004 Dakar Rally, incorporating a total distance of 1,055 kilometers as the convoy moves from Morocco to Mauritania. A 345 kilometer liaison section, across the border, takes the crews to the start of the 701 competitive kilometer stage that heads south, across the Western Sahara, to Atâr. The second longest stage of the event kicks off with fast and furious action but then heads to the vast rolling dunes and the daunting Erg Oumaghawaba, the only route into Atâr. Having left the bivouac in darkness at 03:05 hrs, the leading crews - without any problems - are likely to spend nearly 15 hours behind the wheel before the final nine kilometer liaison section takes them into the overnight halt.
Qatari upholds Mitsubishi Ralliart honors
Five Ralliart customers in the top 20.
Qatar's Nasser-Saleh Al-Attiyah continues to set a fine pace in his debut Dakar Rally outing and the Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero driver claimed eighth position in the stage to maintain ninth overall.
"I am happy with the way I have been driving so far", said the Qatari. "I am not driving quickly and am taking no risks".
Ralliart team-mate Dominique Housieaux set 19th fastest time in today's stage and moves two places up the leaderboard tonight into 15th overall. Brazilian Klever Kolberg holds 16th position in the overall standings with a third Pajero / Montero, driven by Spaniard José-Luis Monterde, in 17th.
"We managed to cure a small problem with the turbo and a slight overheating fault", said Monterde. "The next two days through Mauritania are going to be very tough though, both physically and mentally".
Poland's Lukasz Komornicki and co-driver Rafal Marton lost over 25 minutes with unconfirmed problems and slipped from 18th to 20th position, while Thailand's Pornsawan Siriwattanakun has climbed from an overnight 30th to 26th in the sixth Ralliart Pajero / Montero.
"Siriwat and I are looking forward to the run through the desert", admitted the Thai driver's French navigator Philippe Bocandé. "The rally has already caused problems for a lot of drivers, but the really difficult sections are still to come. The next 48 hours will be crucial. We are working well together and Siriwat is taking no chances".
