UAE drivers pushing for a place

With just one day of racing left, Yahya Al Helei and co-driver Khalid Al Kendi are in a position to secure a sensational result for the UAE.

Racing for the Liberty-Damas team, which is managed by Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi, Al Helei is holding on to third overall right behind Jose Luis Monterde in his highly modified BMW X-Raid.

Despite losing his power-steering and breaking an axle on the first day Al Helei and Al Kendi have kept their Chevrolet racing.

During yesterday's stage, Al Helei and Al Kendi almost created a huge upset when they caught Monterde 120 kilometres into the race as the Spaniard was stuck in a dune.

"But then after about half an hour he caught us back again because we were stuck," said Al Kendi.

"Third is still good … today we knew we couldn't take risks but maybe tomorrow over the flats."

While Al Helei and Al Kendi are generating a lot of excitement, David Mabbs and Michael Hannagan had an incredible day of racing yesterday.

Mabbs's Land Rover was damaged by one of the Kamaz trucks before crashing into a dune.

"We spent an hour changing the tie bars [steering] and while doing that the jack flew up and hit me on the head and gave me a horrible headache," said Mabbs.

"Then a little bit further on we had a puncture and then 10 kilometres out the GPS packed up … so I'll be glad to get back to the bivouac and chill out."

Failing a disaster, Mitsubishi's Stephane Peterhansel should comfortably win his third Desert Challenge today, while KTM rider Cyril Despres should record his fourth victory in the bike category.

The final stage of the rally finishes today at the Dubai International Marine around 4.30pm.

Provisional leading positions after fourth leg

Cars: 1. Stephane Peterhansel (F) / Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero 16:19:32, 2.Jose Luis Monterde / Tiziano Siviero (E / I) / BMW 18:50:40, 3. Yahya Al Helei / Khalid Al Kendi (UAE) Chevrolet Pick-up 19:22:14, 4.Vladmir Chagin/stanislav Konopko/Eduard Nokolaev (RUS) / Kamaz 22:00:41, 5. Joost Van Cauwenberge / Didier Espeel (B) / Toyota 23:34:14; 6. Ronan Chabot / Gilles Pillot (F) / Toyota 25:07:49; 7. Ahmad Bin Suqat / Jasem Al Beloushi (UAE) / Chevrolet 30:10:35; 8. Sven Knorr / Torateh Frohlich (D) / ORCML 30:44:28; 9.Joseph Rosso / Rolf Neugebauer (F / D) / Nissan 33:15:36; 10.Leonid Novitski / Oleg Tyupenkin (RUS) / Mitsubishi 33:47:13.

Bikes: 1.Cyril Despres (F) / KTM 16:40:48; 2.Mark Coma (E) / KTM 16:48:55; 3.David Castue (F) / KTM 17:09:23; 4.Pal Anders Ullevalseter (N) / KTM 17:20:43; 5.Jordi Duran Codina (E) / KTM 17:24:45; 6.David McBride (GB) / Honda 17:39:21; 7.Jacek Czachor (PL) / KTM 17:52:39; 8. Eric Croqueiois (F) / Yamaha 18:03:55; 9.Miran Stanovnik (SLO) / KTM 18:23:04; 10.Oscar Polli (I) / KTM 18:28:05.