Dakar stage 8: accident Loeb, Peterhansel back in the lead

After a first half exemplary rally, Sebastien Loeb was the victim of an accident during the eighth stage that made him fall in the rankings. Peterhansel gets the lead in the race, while Al-Attiyah won his first stage win of the season.

At least ten kilometers from the finish of stage 8, Sebastien Loeb and teammate Daniel Elena had an accident that caused them to lose more than an hour. The nine-time world rally champion said: "In a broad and rapid river, I got a little right but there was bleeding there. We have not seen this break. We got off at high speed and we hit the start-up and it sent us barrels. "

After an excellent start in Dakar last week, which allowed him to pocket three stage victories, Sebastien Loeb discovered the hazards of off-road and lost the lead he had acquired early in the race. The crew could still leave and reach the finish but now accuses one hour and 5 minutes behind his teammate Stephane Peterhansel, who takes the lead in the provisional standings. Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, pocketed his first win of the season on step 7 and finds itself in second place in the ranking. However, Mini returns to form and Nasser Al-Attiyah won the stage 8. The Qatari then takes the third place with 14 minutes and 43 seconds behind Peterhansel.

For the latter, the stage was not easy either, since he suffered a puncture and also lost time. "We did not finish very far from the first but the highlight is that Seb left at fair fault before us ... It destabilises the team a little bit because we had three cars ahead. We have more than two. It is less comfortable. Personally, I take the head but can not manage anything. "Meanwhile, Sébastien Loeb is no longer too many illusions for the outcome of the race:" Our plan has always been to gain experience. OK, the first week went better than expected as we were in the lead. Now the situation is less bright. "According to the Point, the Alsatian had even dropped to the finish of the stage:" For the victory is death. "

Finally, the 38th edition of the Dakar will unfortunately saddened by the death of a Bolivian shepherd this Saturday at the seventh step. The man was hit by the car of the French Lionel Baud, who was participating in his first Dakar. The latter has decided to withdraw from the race. Note that since its creation in 1979, 46 people lost their lives on this event, including 40 outside the race.