Marko Hanželic
Dakar, which continues to discover the heart Saudi Arabia, with more than 600 kilometers of today's stage, is getting very close to the Great Arabian Desert (Rub al-Hali). But before the racers, drivers and crews could completely surrender to the sand, they had to deal with a variety of terrains that often belied navigational errors.
The physical demands of this stage did not spare even the most durable, but also the most calm motorcyclists, including Kevin Benavides, who can also thank his rich experience for the victory. It is also a day of surprises Lucas Moraes proved that he was worthy of the challenge between the dunes and the canyons and achieved his first success in the Dakar.
After the sensation comes the time for confirmation. Lucas Moraes has already shown unexpected maturity at the 2023 Dakar Rally. The Brazilian was waiting to climb the podium while the med Nasser Al Attiyah in Sébastien Loeb fought for victory. His particularly spectacular introduction to the Dakar was followed by an unsuccessful season in which he did not participate in competitions W2RC and has been discreetly honing his driving skills in the Brazilian championship Low.
But already at the beginning of the rally Dakar 2024 je Lucas came to the fore while many top drivers had their tires crushed by the sharp rocks. With a delicate balance between caution and speed that is so hard to find, it is a driver Toyota Hilux with number 206 managed to attract a whiff of success and at the conclusion 437 kilometer long special won by a narrow margin of 9 seconds ahead Mattias Ekström. The local matador leads the total Yazeed Al-Rajhi.
He also has an excellent stage behind him Toni Mulec, who scored with a gap of barely eleven seconds 14. place in absolute competition, in class Rally 2 but he was only behind Romain Dumontier. The total is now one hour and 10 minutes behind 21. place, and is currently seventh in the Rally 2 class. Simon Marčič finished today's stage in 62nd place.
