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Sainz warms up with sizzling performance
It has taken the big daddy of UAE motorsport many years to entice Spain's top rally driver, Carlos Sainz, to the country and into the UAE Desert Challenge.
- By Sarah Tregoning, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 November 7, 2006
- Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
- Mohammad Bin Sulayem flags off the UAE Desert Challenge at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai: It has taken the big daddy of UAE motorsport many years to entice Spain's top rally driver, Carlos Sainz, to the country and into the UAE Desert Challenge.
And now that the two-time World Rally Champion has finally answered chief organiser, Mohammad Bin Sulayem's call, he is proving as adept as desert driving as he is at every other kind.
Sainz, in 12th position after the Super Special Stage in Dubai on Sunday, gunned his Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 prototype to an impressive 3min 43sec lead over second-placed Luc Alphand.
His position at the top of the table should please the Rally Raid first-timer, who prior to the event told Gulf News he was warming up for his assault on Alphand's Dakar Rally title.
"The reason I wanted to come here was to get more experience for the 2007 race," he said.
"I need to get used to the conditions that I will find in the car and to check our state of readiness for the race."
Good beginning
As dusk fell over the giant Moreeb Hill sand dune in Desert Challenge HQ, Liwa, Bin Sulayem said: "The first day has gone very well. The big news is that Sainz is winning, but it is just day one and there is a very long way to go."
The Spaniard remained tightlipped after crossing the finish line, saying only: "It was a very demanding day too hot that's all there is to say."
Qatar's Middle East Rally champion Nasser Al Attiyah proved that the local drivers would not be outdone in the dunes, recording a third-place finish and going into today's Nakheel Special Stage in Myzairah with everything to play for.
Meanwhile, Stephane Peterhansel found out first hand the frustrations of desert driving.
Comfortable in sixth place after the Super Special Stage, Peterhansel crashed out in the dunes, damaged the front of his car and broke the steering. He finally finished in eighth place and even worse, nearly 27 minutes behind the leaders.
In the battle of the bikes, Sainz' compatriot Marc Coma sent a message to the field that he would not be easily beaten, recording an incredible seven-minute leading margin over Frenchman Cyril Despres.
But despite Coma's amazing ride, the chances of him claiming the desert crown are distant and growing more unlikely by the day as another Frenchman, David Casteu, needs only to finish the race on Friday to take the prize.
Results
Provisional leading positions after first special stage:
Cars: 1. Carlos Sainz / Michel Perin (E / F)/Volkswagen/T1 2:42:55; 2. Luc Alphand / Gilles Picard (F)/Mitsubishi Evolution/T1 2:46:38; 3. Nasser Al Attiyah/Alain Guehennec QA / F X-raid GmbH BMW X3 T 2:48:13; 4. Ari Vatanen / Fabrizia Pons (FIN / I)/Volkswagen/T1 2:49:31; 5. Carlos Sousa / Andreas Schulz (P / D)/Volkswagen/T1 2:50:15; 6. Hiroshi Masuoka / Pascal Maimon (J / F)/Mitsubishi Evolution/T1 2:53:28; 7. Jean Louis Schlesser / Emmanuel Guigou (F)/Schlesser/T1 2:54:20; 8. Stephane Peterhansel / Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Evolution/T1 3:09:53; 9. Mark Corbett / Juan Mohr (ZA)/ Nissan Navara/T1 3:09:56; 10. Jose Luis Monterde / Jean-Marie Lurquin (E / B)/BMW/T1 3:10:56.
Bikes: 1. Marc Coma (E) / KTM 660 LC4 3:01:47; 2. Cyril Despres (F) / KTM 660 LC4 M3 3:08:43; 3. Jordi Viladoms (E) / KTM 660 LC4M3 3:12:27; 4. Isidre Esteve Pujol (E) / KTM 660 LC4 3:13:45; 5. David Casteu (F) / KTM 660 LC4 3:15:10; 6. Pal Anders Ullevalsetter (N) / KTM 660 Rally 3:16:32; 7. Christopher Blais (USA) / KTM Red Bull KTM 660 LC4 M3 3:20:04; 8. Jean Azavedo (BR) / KTM 3:20:38; 9. Jacek Czachor (PL) / Orlen Team KTM 450 LC4 M3 3:20:43; 10. Frans Verhoeven (NL) / KTM Gauloises KTM 660 LC4 M3 3:20:51.
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