Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports (MMSP) team drivers Stephane Peterhansel and Hiroshi Masuoka took a major step towards a fourth successive Dakar triumph for the Japanese manufacturer by finishing second and first overall on the 579 kms special stage between Tidjikja and Nouakchott in Mauritania yesterday.
Frenchman Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret head into the penultimate stage of the 17-day race on Saturday, 55m 53s ahead of Masuoka and his French co-driver Gilles Picard. The leading French duo are now 2h 55m 16s in front of third-placed Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser, the highest-placed non-Mitsubishi team.
At the wheel of their Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolutions, the pair led from the start of today's gruelling special stage across the western deserts of Mauritania, with stage winner Masuoka completing the competitive stage 9m 11s ahead of his team mate.
"Getting through today's stage without a major problem was the priority", said Peterhansel. "But it was a good stage for us. It was long and there were some areas of camel grass, some tricky dunes and some fast sections, but we now have an even stronger position than this morning. Still, I will not even begin to think about the victory yet."
German lady driver Andrea Mayer began the stage in fifth position overall with co-driver Andreas Schulz in a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. She held eighth through the first passage control today and was classified fifth after PC3, although she was pipped into sixth place at the finish by Schlesser and retains fifth in the overall standings.
"I am delighted with the result from today", said MMSP's Team Director Dominique Serieys. "But there are still two days to go and one difficult stage. For sure, we are in a good position, but there has been quite a bit of heavy rain in the last few days and the stage on Saturday could be difficult. Patrick Zaniroli has admitted that there is some tricky navigation, so we will have to wait and see."
Today is the penultimate day of the Dakar Rally. A 60 kms liaison takes teams to the start of a 192 kms special stage south towards Saint Louis. A 396 kms liaison passes through Rosso and Saint Louis, en route to Dakar.
