Coertse grabs Dullstroom honours

Weather, infringements and off-road excursions meant plenty of surprises in the two final rallies of the South African National series – two day, two rallies and changes in the lead right up to the finish but it was a huge event for the Mazda 2 pairing of Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich who emerged overall winners on both days.

Friday:

What should have been a straight fight in the dust on the fast special stages around the trout-rich town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga, turned into a fight for surival for many of crews contesting the final two rounds of the 2023 South African National Rally Championship.

Clear skies and bright sunshine greeted competitors at the start of the TRACN4 Rally and all eyes were on the expected tussle between the NRC 1 Rally Technic Mazda 2 of Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich and the NRC 2 Just Tools Volkswagen Golf crewed by Benjamin Habig and Barry White – this fight for second overall in the series with the actual champion having been crowned at the previous event.

“It would be nice to claim that second place, but our goal the whole season has been to win the class,” said White.

It all went wrong for them shortly after the start of first special stage when the Polo lost drive and could not be recovered until all the cars had passed, forcing their retirement for the day and leaving the way open for the Maza duo to forge ahead.

However, the big mover of the morning was the Salom Toyota Auris of Theuns Joubert and Schalk van Heerden who stormed through the opening stage to win by 10 seconds from Coertse/Godrich with newly-crowned SA Champions JJ Potgieter and Tommy du Toit in the NTT Toyota Delmas Hyundai R4 visibly taking things easier than their normal all-out charge.

Potgieter/Du Toit

“I was taking it easier,” said Potgieter, “but we were also battling with a misfire that kept us off the pace.”

Stage 2 was a blinder for Mandla Mdakane and Kes Naidoo in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Starlet and they howled through taking 10 seconds from Joubert/Van Heerden and 14 seconds from the Mazda – just reward, perhaps for a troubled season that saw the Starlet retire from several events.

However, the pair made an error during the clock-in procedure at the start of the stage and were then penalised by four minutes, dropping them to the back of the field and this was compounded at the end of the day when and engine problem meant they could not get the car back to the parc ferme.

By the end of Stage 3 Joubert and Van Heerden had extended their lead to 17 seconds over the Mazda with Potgieter/Du Toit now slotted into third place ahead of Gerald Klopper and Etienne Lourens (GK Racing Toyota Auris) fourth overall and the leading NRC 2 contender ahead of Gustav Potgieter/Armand du Toit (Atlas Oil Ford Fiesta R2).

Stage 4 saw much o the same but with Mdakane trying to eat up as much of his deficit as possible and racking up third quickest time  over the 12, 6 kilometres of Safcol Highway 2 – this pulling them up to seventh overall.

Then, the weather intervened and a sudden, short rain and lightning storm descended with the cars in Stage 5 where everything changed as the gravel road turned into an ice-rink, setting off a chain of events started by Gerald Klopper who lost a wheel and veered off into a tree, leaving the car in a vulnerable position.

With Lourens waving oncoming competitors to slow down, Gustav Potgieter stopped on the stage (after having been stuck in the mud for more than minute earlier) without realising George Smallberger/Shaun Visser (Shield Q20 Volkswagen Polo) had closed right up.

“I saw him stopped on the stage and tried to go around but with the mud and the slide we ended up beached on the edge of the road and lost plenty of time trying to get free.” Said Smallberger.

Joubert/Van Heerden

But, it was up front where the real drama happened as Theuns Joubert suffered a front left tyre puncture and with 10 kilometres of stage left, decided to continue. The delaminating tyre then dmaged the front end of the car but they made it to the flying finish, losing 58 seconds in the process.

This giffted Coertse a 35 second lead overall, cemented by the fact the Clerk-of-the-Course then cancelled the final stage of the day for safety reasons.

So, Coertse/Godrich took top step of the podium from Joubert/Van Heerden and Potgieter/Du Toit with Mdakane/Naidoo fourth on the road but excluded because of the engine issue on the way to the overnight parc ferme.

Thus, Gustav Potgieter finish fourth ahead of Lynton Swatton and Tommy Coetzee (RBS Plumbing Toyota RunX).

Saturday:

Overnight the weather cleared and Saturday dawned bright and clear with Joubert/Van Heerden following the TRAC N$ catchline for the event of ‘going all out’ and they opened proceedings – much of which involved the previous day’s stages in reverse – with an eight second advantage over Potgieter/Du Toit and taking 29 seconds from Coertse/Godrich.

Back in the running, Habig and White ran a conservative fifth quickest on the stage a second behind Gustav Potgieter and five ahead of the Johan Strauss/Elzaan van der Schyff Agri Online Subaru WRX that was forced to withdraw before the start of the Friday even with engine problems.

“It is still not properly sorted,” said Strauss “and there is a throttle problem. If I drive slowly there is some response but if I try to go quickly it does not respond.”

With the Hyundai now cleared of its misfire, JJ Potgieter decided it was time to get moving and raced through the second stage two seconds to the good over Joubert with Coertse maintaining an edge over Habig who headed the NRC 2 class.

The AR Panelbeaters Ford Escort Cosworth of Anton Raaths and Marie Ducasse had a good run to notch up fifth place on the road.

The rally then looked as if it was settling into a pattern with Joubert/Van Heerden taking the top honours on Stage 3 followed by Potgieter/Du Toit with Coertse and Habig in close attendance – Potgieter then upped the pace to take Stage 4 to set up the scene for the final stages by reducing Joubert’s lead to just 0,1 seconds after the former lost time in the stage due to a faulty oil temperature sensor caused the engine to go into limp mode.

Coertse was just 1min07 sec off the lead at this point.

Mdakane/Naidoo

However, this time it was not the weather to influence things – Car 0, which has the task of going through the stage ahead of the field to check the marshals are in place, arrowing is correct and no spectators are in dangerous places, had a mechanical issue. This is then followed by Car 00 half an hour before the first competitor enters the stage.

Stage 5, which was also being run as Stage 6, had to be cancelled to allow Car 00 to do the work of both lead vehicles.

This stage, a repeat of Stge 2 from Friday, featured a downhill run to a shallow water splash with a disconcerting bump on the exit and Habig – not having done the stage the previous day – came flying in, uymped, got hugely sideways, corrected and went up on two wheels.

He landed back on the road but minus a wheel and carried on to finish the stage. However, he transgressed regulations by driving on a public road on three wheels then replacing the wheel in the control area of Stage 6, resulting in his exclusion.

Stage 6, Lakenvlei, worked for Coertse who took 1,8 seconds off Joubert with Potgieter third quickest through the 27,4 kilometre section just ahead of Habig who would have been third overall at that point had it not been for the exclusion he was yet to hear about.

Habig/White

The final stage of the event and the season, Legends, saw Coertse again take the stage win, this time taking 11, 9 seconds off Joubert to end up as overall winner for the day and second overall in the National standings behind Gustav Potgieter who ended on the third step of the podium for the day and first car in the NRC 2 category.

JJ Potgieter finished fourth overall, ahead of Magriet Potgieter and Rikus Fourie (Ford Fiesta R2) and Bruce Swatton/Adrian du Plessis (RBS Plumbing Toyota Auris S2000).

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Colin-on-Cars - Action aplenty expected in East London

The fearsome Potters Pass – the fastest corner in South African motor racing – awaits the GR Cup at the weekend when the series visits the iconic East London Grand Prix Circuit for the first time.

The GR Cup driven by Netstar, part of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, heads to East London for the fifth round of the 2023 season. The stage is set for an adrenaline-fueled showdown as six of the country's top motoring writers once again take the wheel of the stock Toyota GR86 cars, only slightly modified for track use.  

Located within sight of the Indian Ocean, the East London Grand Prix Circuit offers a picturesque backdrop to racing action that is usually intense. The circuit is renowned for its challenging nature and features high-speed corners such as Potter's Pass and Rifle, where drivers must exhibit exceptional skill and bravery to navigate the demanding right-hander, before braking hard for the following series of corners.  

Following the races of the previous rounds, the familiar faces of Mark Jones (Citizen), Denis Droppa (TimesLIVE), Setshaba Mashigo (ASAMM), Chad Luckhoff (Auto Trader), Reuben van Niekerk (Jumping Kids/Wheels24), and Brendon Staniforth will return to continue their battle for GR Cup glory.  

In an exciting addition to the event, Mario De Sousa will join the competition as a guest driver. De Sousa is no stranger to the world of motor racing, having previously participated in the GR Cup, driving the GR Yaris in Gqeberha last year.

However, this will be his first opportunity to unleash his skills behind the wheel of the GR86.  

As the championship reaches the latter half of the season, Setshaba Mashigo leads the GR Cup driven by Netstar standings with an impressive 47 points, holding a 15-point advantage over Mark Jones, who sits in second place. Denis Droppa occupies the third position with 24 points, just one point ahead of fourth-placed Chad Luckhoff. Reuben van Niekerk follows in fifth place, while Brendon Staniforth rounds out the standings in sixth place. 

"We are thrilled to bring the GR Cup to the prestigious East London Grand Prix Circuit," said Riaan Esterhuysen on behalf of Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa. "With the drivers' skills, the thrilling GR86 cars, and the rich racing heritage of the circuit, we are set for an electrifying event that will keep fans on the edge of their seats."

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Colin-on-Cars - Time to step up

It is nearly time for someone to step up and be part of the Dakar legend – and the Toyota 1000 Desert Race in Botswana is the place to do it.

The race moves back to Botswana and kicks off in Jwaneng on June 23 and, officially known as the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, or TGRSA 1,000 Desert Race for short, the third round of the 2023 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) offers arguably the biggest single prize of the year: Free entry to the Dakar Rally.

The TGRSA 1000 Desert Race has consistently been the longest and toughest motor sport event on the African continent, and as such offers the type of test that is in line with the gruelling Dakar Rally itself.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA are again aligning with the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), organisers of the Dakar Rally, to offer Dakar hopefuls the opportunity to win a free entry to the race.

As before, as this initiative is known, the Road to Dakar is open to all privateers who haven’t previously taken part in the Dakar Rally. The winning competitor can choose to enter the next Dakar or the following one, effectively giving the team a maximum of 18 months to prepare for the race.

This means that crews who have previously won the Dakar Challenge or Road to Dakar but haven’t been able to take up their prize, are eligible to win again in 2023.

In order to further level the playing field for competitors, the organisers of the Dakar Rally have set a rule that both the driver and navigator must be Dakar rookies, neither having taken part in the Dakar Rally before.

Crews hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous Road to Dakar winners need to specifically register for the challenge before the TGRSA 1,000 Desert Race starts. Past winners of the race-within-a-race include Thomas Rundle, Gary Bertholdt, Jason Venter, Hennie de Klerk, Terence Marsh, Jaco van Dyk, Eben Basson and most recently Yannick Panagoitis.

“We are proud to once again host the iconic Desert Race, this time back in Botswana, where the race is one of the biggest sporting events on that country’s calendar,” says Toyota SA Motors Vice-President for Marketing, Glenn Crompton.

“Toyota has been an integral part of South African rally-raid racing for many decades, and our Dakar-winning Hilux T1+ has become a point of pride not only for the company but for South Africans in general. This year, we are again pleased to offer a rookie crew the opportunity to share in the Dakar dream, by hosting the Road to Dakar in Botswana.”

This year’s TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race will take place on 23-25 June, in the area surrounding the town of Jwaneng in southern Botswana.

This area has played host to the race on multiple occasions in the past, though the last time was in 2018, before a move to Selebi Pikwe in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 Desert Race to be cancelled, and the town of Upington, in South Africa’s Northern Cape, hosted in 2021 and 2022, with the race returning to Botswana for 2023.

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Colin-on-Cars - Hilux tames the sugar cane

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings crossed the finish line to take top spot at the Sugarbelt 400 held near Eston, KwaZulu-Natal recently – with teammates Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy in a second Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux not far behind.

"It was a lot tougher to open the route during qualifying than we expected, and we lost some time there," shared race-winner Lategan. "The first race loop went very well until we slid off the road while reversing after an overshoot. We were wedged against a tree and lost some time extricating the GR DKR Hilux T1+, but we got going again."

The crew also suffered a puncture shortly after this incident, which further delayed their progress. They also faced a problem with the front differential, finishing the first loop with a deficit of 1min to the leaders.

Lategan and Cummings didn't let the issues hold them back, however. They pushed extremely hard during the second loop, managing to make up enough time to secure victory, despite suffering a second puncture.

"We fought our way back during the second loop," Lategan added. "Our team's determination and hard work paid off, and we are thrilled to have secured the win."

Hot on their heels, teammates Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy finished a mere 3min 16sec behind, securing a solid second place. The final crew in the TGRSA line-up, Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle, narrowly missed the podium, finishing in a commendable fourth place overall.

"I am immensely proud of our crews for having shown grit, determination, and a strong fighting spirit," said Glyn Hall, TGRSA Team Principal. "Despite facing some challenges, they stayed focused and brought home outstanding results."

The Sugarbelt 400 course, set in the beautiful and rugged terrain around the town of Eston in KwaZulu-Natal, posed its unique challenges. The race wound through sugarcane fields and plantations, testing the mettle of all participants.

With the Sugarbelt 400 now in the past, TGRSA is shifting its focus to the next challenge: the TGRSA 1000 Desert Race. Known as the longest and toughest motorsport event on the African continent, this race is also a 'home race' for TGRSA, as the team also serves as the title sponsor for the event.

"We are looking forward to the TGRSA 1000 Desert Race, and we are keen to maintain our momentum," Hall added. "This year, the race is moving back to Botswana, where it will be run in the area around the southern town of Jwaneng. Our crews are up to the challenge, and we are excited to see what the next round holds for us."

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Colin-on-Cars - Toyota wins Dakar

Dakar 2023 proved a stunning success for South Africa. Nasser Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s GR Hilux DKR T1+ stormed to their third Dakar victory for Toyota Gazoo Racing on Sunday as SA cars starred, taking the overall and two class wins. 

South Africans also starred on two wheels, as Argentine Kevin Benavides took a sensational bike win from KTM teammate Toby Price. SA rider Michael Docherty took the rookie bike win, while compatriot and teammate Charan Moore won the no service Malle Moto Original bike class.

Sebastian Loeb

Attiyah and Baumel put in a faultless display to beat Sebastien Loeb’s Prodrive by an hour and 20 minutes with Brazilian rookie sensation Lucas Moraes third. SA crews Giniel de Villiers and Denis Murphy, and Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings fourth and fifth among five SA-built Toyotas in the top ten. Red-Lined cars took a T1.1 class 1-2, and Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar won amongst the T3 SSV rookies.

SA MEN AND MACHINES STARRED AMONG DAKAR’S CARS

Winners, Al Attiyah and Baumel had another perfect run to their third win in a Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux, and Nasser’s fifth Dakar win. Their sheer pace and consistency clearly benefits from their racing all year in the R2R world championship, and Toyota Gazoo Racing’s consistent development in the South African series. Their main rivals race less often.

Once he was finally into the groove, Loeb was relentless and set a record six stage wins in pursuit. The 9-time World Rally champion ended second ahead of a trio of ever-dependable South African Hiluxes. Young Brazilian rookie Lucas Moraes was the find of 2023 and a future Dakar star for sure, alongside legendary navigator Timo Gottschalk in their bright orange Hilux. 

Henk Lategan

SA Dakar legend Giniel de Villiers has now incredibly finished every one of the twenty Dakars he has started. Nineteen of them in the top ten. Fourth this year alongside Dennis Murphy, they came home ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux DKR T1+ teammates and compatriots Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings. Five Hallspeed Toyotas in the top ten is also an immense feather in Hallspeed’s cap.

RED LETTER DAY FOR RED LINED

Dakar 2023 was also huge for South African rally raid carmaker Red-Lined. Its cars dominated the amateur class, as Schröder and Bland took the T1.1 win from Bell and Schutte. All four Red-Lined cars that started the gruelling race finished in the class top 5. Red-Lined Motorsport clearly succeeded in making its gentleman crews’ Dakar dreams come true. 

Century Racing‘s stellar performance fell apart in the final two days. Baragwanath and Cremer’s Factory CR6-T led the T1.2 4x2 class until their penultimate day crash. Ninth placed Frenchmen Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier’s car suffered engine failure on the final day and had to be towed home to 12th by Baragwanath’s machine. An unhappy end to a stunning performance.

Also considered a car crew, South African GR Rally crew Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar drove a calm and consistent race to take T3 side by side rookie honours. T3 compatriots Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman’s HBE South Racing Can Am overcame their occasional challenges to come home a fine 12th overall. 

THE CAR RACE IN REVIEW

Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz’ petrol-electric Audi hit the ground running to win the prologue and day 1. Attiyah took Day 2 as Loeb tumbled to 32nd, stuck in the desert without spare tyres. Chicherit’s Prodrive hit back to win Day 3 as Al Attiyah moved into a lead he would never relinquish. Loeb was back to win Day 4 before Al Attiyah consolidated his lead with double wins on Days 5 and 6. 

Saudi hero Yazeed Al Rajhi’s horrid week improved with a Day 6 win before Loeb benefited from Sainz’ penalty to win Day 8. Al Attiyah led a Toyota 1-2-3-5 from Lategan, Moraes, Loeb, and de Villiers at the rest day. Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer’s Century led the T1.2 4x2’s in eighth, Schröder and Bland’s Red-Lined lead T1.1 as Chicherit sat 16th, Al Rajhi 17th and Sainz 37th, with Peterhansel out.

Week 2 was all about Sebastien Loeb. He took a record six stage wins on the trot in his relentless charge, topped a Prodrive 1-2-3 Tuesday, dominated the marathon on Wednesday and Thursday and moved up to second Friday. He won again on chaotic Saturday as the 4x2 leader Baragwanath crashed. Week 2 also claimed Sainz’s Audi, Zala’s Prodrive, Lionel Baud’s Toyota and Simon Vitse’s MD. 

A BRILLIANT BIKE SPECTACLE

In an incredible bike race, KTM teammates and former winners, Argentine Kevin Benavides, and Aussie Toby Price were tied in the overall lead at 33 kilometres into Sunday’s final stage. Price however slipped to allow Benavides to open up a minute lead by midway. Price duly clawed back a few seconds, but it was not enough to beat the stage and overall winner, Kevin Benavides.

Kevin Benavides

Skyler Howes rode home third for Husqvarna. Pablo Quintanilla ended a close fourth with him, Adrien van Beveren, Luciano Benavides, and second on Sunday, Daniel Sanders all within four minutes. Jose Flormino’s Honda, Lorenzo Santolino’s Sherco and Franco Caimi’s Hero closed off the bike top ten.

Of the South African bikers, 20th on the day 16th overall, overall rookie winner Michael Docherty’s HT Husqvarna ended third in the amateur R2 class behind Romain Dumontier and Paolo Lucci. Iron Mike led the R2 class early on, but a tough third day had him on the back foot. He fought back hard, three times challenging for overall day wins as he clawed back to that much deserved rookie victory.

DOCHERTY WON BIKE ROOKIES, MOORE MALLE MOTO

Michael Docherty

Compatriot and teammate, epic no service Malle Moto Original class winner Charan Moore ended 24th  on Sunday, 29th overall and 12th in amateur R2. Consistently in the Malle Moto fight, he led most of the way but had to fight back after a rough tenth day dropped him back. Malle Moto riders are not allowed backup of any kind and must service their own machines out of small metal box.

Botswana hero Ross Branch started well and ended fourth on day 2 before enduring a disastrous few days including running out of fuel and being stranded in the desert to lose seven hours on Day 4. Ross however fought back back to win two bike stages through week 2 as he brought it home in 26th overall.

Ever consistent Malle Moto hero Stuart Gregory ended a career best 61st and tenth in Malle Moto on his third Dakar finish. South African lady legend Kirsten Landman had a steady, if occasionally exhausting ride to 68th overall and 12th in Malle Moto. SA Dakar rookie, Stevan Wilken finished 69th off his best stage result in 56th on the final day, following a consistent race bar a painful Day 8 tumble.

AN ABSOLUTELY EPIC BIKE RACE IN REVIEW

Charan Moore

The bike race delivered seven different winners in the first seven days. Price took the prologue, Ricky Brabec’s Honda Day 1, and Mason Klein’s KTM Day 2. Sanders, Joan Barreda, van Beveren and Luciano Benavides took Days 3, 4, 5 and 6 as the lead changed consistently. Day 7 was cancelled before Ross Branch bounced back to take Day 8, as Klein led Howes by 40 seconds overall.

Luciano Benavides opened week 2 with a Tuesday win, and Branch took Wednesday as Kevin Benavides led overall, Docherty led the rookies and Moore led Malle Moto. Luciano won again Thursday as Price led Howes by 28 seconds. Ignacio Cornejo’s Honda won Friday and Kevin Benavides Saturday from Docherty to start Sunday’s final stage just 12 seconds behind Price overall.

Kevin Benavides duly took the day to win his second Dakar overall and put KTM back after three years off the top step of the podium. Dakar was cruel as ever, claiming top riders, 2022 winner Sam Sunderland and SA lad Bradley Cox on Day 1, Brabec on Day 2 and Barreda, Mattias Walkner and  Klein in Week 2.

Words: Motorsport Media

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Colin-on-Cars - The sting in the tail

Saturday’s 154-kilometre stage through the dunes to Al Hofuf would prove a dramatic dream breaker for some. South African T1.2 leaders Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer, who suffered a hard landing, flipped, and damaged their Factory Century. The car was towed out of the stage. Another Century driver, Yannick, was airlifted to hospital after another crash.

Up front, Sebastien Loeb and his navigator Fabian Lurquin stormed to an unprecedented sixth straight Dakar stage win and his seventh of 2023 in their Factory Prodrive Hunter. His relentless pursuit has however hardly made a dent over second place in todays stage, the wholly unflustered Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel who have an hour and 21-minute overall lead in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux DKR T1+.

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel

Mattias Ekstrom’s surviving Audi was third ahead of South Africans Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings’ Gazoo Hilux, home hero Yazeed Al Rajhi’s GR Hilux, and best of the 4x2s Jakub Przygonski’s Mini. Rookie sensation Luca Moraes was seventh in his Hilux from Guerlain Chicherit’s Hunter, Juan Yacopini’s Hilux, and SA duo Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy’s Gazoo Hilux.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings

Outside the top ten, Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier’s second Century recovered to 12th after a difficult start to close on new class leader Wei Han’s 4x2 advantage down to 2 minutes 30. Overall, Attiyah leads Loeb, Moraes, de Villiers and Lategan. Martin Prokop’s Ford Raptor sat sixth after a tough day, from Yacopini, up four places overall but closely followed by Han and Serradori.

Thomas Bell and SA navigator Gerhard Schutte led Daniel Schröder and his SA notes man Ryan Bland home to another South African Red-Lined Racing T1.1 amateur class 1-2. Schröder and Bland lead Bell and Schutte in a comfortable Red-Lined 1-2 overall, with all four of the maker’s cars still running into Sunday’s short final stage.

MORE DRAMA IN EPIC BIKE RACE 

As it was in the cars, the bikes also delivered great late Dakar drama. The day started with news that tenth overall US KTM youngster Mason Klein had thrown in the towel after struggling since a Day 9 crash. Then ninth overall KTM factory rider Matthias Walkner crashed heavily, as third overall, teammate Kevin Benavides stopped to help until Walkner was airlifted out.

Kevin Benavides

Benavides would ultimately gain his lost time back, but that kept him invisible through the day.  His pace was however clearly quicker than the men up front. Heroic South African rookie Michael Docherty’s FK Husqvarna led the way from brother Luciano Benavides’ Factory Husqvarna and Adrien van Beveren’s Honda, as overall top two, Price and Howes fought in sixth and seventh.

Docherty ultimately benefited a Luciano Benavides penalty to top the times, with overnight leader Toby Price’s KTM third from Husqvarna privateer Romain Dumontier, second overall Skyler Howes’ Husqvarna, Pablo Quintanilla’s Honda, privateer Tosha Schareina’s KTM and Botswana’s double ‘23 stage winner Ross Branch’s Hero in ninth. Kevin Benavides was provisionally placed 31st overall.

All of which left Price leading Howes overall. But the world awaited news of Kevin Benavides’ corrected time, which ultimately saw him regain over 23 minutes. So, Kevin Benavides not only took the day win, but he also moved up to second overall, just twelve seconds from KTM teammate Price.  Howes sat just a minute and 31 seconds off the pace in third.

SOUTH AFRICANS STAR ALL THE WAY

Another South African, Charan Moore made more waves in the desert sand a little further back. He stormed home 29th on Sunday to move back into a 17 minute overall Malle Moto Original class lead on his R2 FK Husqvarna. Considered the ultimate Dakar iron man adventure, Malle Moto riders are not allowed backup of any kind, and must service their own machines out of small metal box.

Charan Moore

SA lady and gentlemen riders, Stuart Gregory goes into the final day in 63rd overall and tenth in Malle Moto, lady star Kirsten Landman 71st overall and 12th in Malle Moto and rookie Stevan Wilken 73rd overall. Marcelo Medeiros took another quad stage win from Giovanni Enrico and Moreno Flores, but Alexandre Giroud takes a 44-minute lead over Flores going into the final stage on Sunday.

Mitch Guthrie again won the T3 SSV day. SA rookie leaders Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar were ninth and Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman 24th. Austin Jones has a strong overall lead with Basson seventh and Minnitt 12th. Second overall, Eryk Goczal beat leader Rokas Baciuska on Sunday, to close Baciuska’s advantage down to 3 minutes 24 in T4 SSV. Janus van Kasteren led the trucks overall. 

A 134 km short, sandy and gravel track road through a pan or two is all that now separates the 2023 field form the Dakar finish in Damman. Judging by Saturday’s late dramas however, it will not be over until that fat lady sings.

Words: Motorsport Media

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Colin-on-Cars - Keeping up the pressure

Nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb’s ruthless pressure paid off as his fifth straight stage win on Friday moved him up to second overall, an hour and a half behind overall leader Nasser Al-Attiyah’s made in South Africa Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux. In a busy day among the cars, the bike race remains on tenterhooks as South African men and machines fly the flag high in Saudi Arabia.

CARS: LOEB TO SECOND OVERALL BEHIND NASSER

The bikes set off early on what again proved to be a fast sandy, pan and dune filled day back to service at Shaybah with the cars also away relatively early. And as it has been ever since racing resumed on Tuesday, it was Loeb and Fabian Lurquin who stormed to their fifth stage win on the trot, and their seventh of twelve 2023 day wins in the Factory Prodrive Hunter.

Sebastian Loeb - chasing hard.

Loeb’s relentless pressure saw him move up to second overall behind runaway leaders, Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel, who were third on the day behind Mattias Ekstrom’s surviving Audi. Loeb had languished in 31st after day 2, but his meteoric pace saw him finally pluck second from rookie sensation Lucas Moraes and Timo Gottschalk’s Hilux, when they stopped briefly late on Friday.

There was more of a shake-up behind, as South Africans Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux lost 25 minutes at a standstill early in the stage. They slipped to fifth overall behind teammates and SA compatriots, ninth on the day Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy. Consistent Polish crew Martin Prokop and Viktor Chytk Ford Raptor also moved up a place to sixth.

T1.2 4x2 leaders, South African Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer’s Factory Century CR6-T lost several minutes early in the day to tumble back to 27th. They fought back to 12th to move up a position to seventh overall as Romain Dumas’ Toyota GR Hilux was delayed. 

Second in T1.2, Wi Han and Wei Li’s SMG in eighth overall is under pressure from sixth on Friday, Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier’s second SA-built Factory Century, with Juan Yacopini and Daniel Oliveira’s Hilux tenth. Daniel Schröder and SA navigator Ryan Bland’s SA-built Red-Lined VK50 leads the T1.1 amateur class ahead of sand master Thomas Bell and SA man Gerhard Schutte’s similar car.

Mathieu Serradori - in the hunt

BIKES: TIGHT AT THE TOP!

All eyes were on the overall top three factory riders: American Skyler Howes’ Husqvarna and KTM duo, former winners, Aussie Toby Price, and Argentine Kevin Benavides. Price led Benavides with Howes down in eleventh. Honda rider Ignacio Cornejo however led Benavides and Price, with Howes up to fifth at the final waypoint, but there was a bit of a shake-up in the final sector.

Skyler Howes

While Cornejo held on for the day win, Daniel Sanders’ GasGas appeared out of nowhere to end second ahead of Price, his KTM teammate Matthias Walkner who also came from outside the top ten, Benavides and Howes. Which saw Price into a mere 28 second overall lead from Howes, with Benavides 2 minutes 40 adrift in third. Honda duo Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien Benavides are 15 minutes behind.

Of the Southern Africans, Botswana’s double ‘23 stage winner Ross Branch’s Hero ended tenth but sits 29th overall after his week 1 issues. SA hero Michael Docherty’s amateur R2 class FK Husqvarna was 16th on the day to move up to 17th overall and retain his strong rookie lead. Teammate Charan Moore was 32nd to close his Malle Moto second place deficit down to two and a half minutes.

Toby Price

Malle Moto Original is considered the ultimate Dakar class. Riders race without any backup and must service their own machines out of an army-sized chest. Two more South Africans, Malle Moto regular Stuart Gregory is 66th overall and tenth in Malle Moto, lady heroine Kirsten Landman was 75th overall and 12th in Malle Moto. South African rookie Stevan Wilken was 75th overall.

Ignacio Casale beat Guilaume de Mevius and overall leader Austin Jones to Friday’s T3 side-by-side prototype win. SA rookie leaders Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar were seventh on the day and seventh overall. 12th overall, SA lads Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman were in 20th on Friday. Michal Goczal beat overall leader Rokas Baciuska, Marek and second overall, Eryk Goczal to the T4 side by side win.

Runaway overall quad leader Alexandre Giroud lost 26 minutes as Marcelo Medeiros beat Juraj Varga and Giovanni Enrico to the Day 12 win. And overall leaders Janus van Kasteren, Darek Rodewald and Marcel Snijder’s Iveco took the Friday win from third overall and second man Martin Macik’s similar trucks.

Just 290 kilometres and two days remain of Dakar 2023, with 154 of those through the dunes from Shaybah to Al Hofuf on Saturday. 

Words: Motorsport Media

https://bit.ly/3ZCV4nY

Colin-on-Cars - Branching out

It was a red-letter day 10 for Southern African bikers and cars at Dakar 2023, as Botswana’s Ross Branch scored his second stage win in three days, while SA rider Mike Docherty moved into the rookie bike lead with third overall. He joins compatriot Malle Moto rider Charan Moore in leading his class, while SA cars continue to dominate, leading three of the four car classes with four days left to race.

Ross Branch

Sand, sand and more sand: Comprising of 95% dunes, Wednesday’s 114 km stage from Haradh which ventured deep into the bowls of the Empty Quarter to Shaybah caused much intrigue. Bikers were up at 4am to take on sub 8° temperatures and a 470km liaison section, it was a shorter stage than most care to remember on the Dakar, but it was expected to be extreme.

It however turned out to be a short, sharp, and relatively easy stage by Dakar standards, with the first bike home in just an hour and 44 minutes after the start. 

LOEB WINS DAY 10

Sebastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin continued in their relentless pursuit of a first Dakar Rally win for the 9-time World Rally Champion. However, Loeb’s mesmerising pace would hardly put a dent on the overall rankings. 

Sebastian Loeb

Barring a disaster in the last quarter, fourth on the day, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah is well on his way to his fifth Dakar victory, and his third for the South African Toyota Gazoo Racing team alongside Mathieu Baumel in their Hilux DKR T1+.

They Qatari veteran followed Loeb, DTM ace Mattias Ekstrom, and second overall, rookie sensation Lukas Moraes in another Hilux. Saudi home hero Yazeed Al Rajhi was fifth on Wednesday ahead of rear wheel drive winner Jakub Przygonski’s Mini, Henk Lategan’s Hilux and Mathieu Serradori’s SA built 4x2 Century CR6-T.

Lukas Moraes

Besides a little movement in the gaps, there was no change in the overall top ten. Attiyah leads Moraes by an hour and 20 minutes, with Loeb a further 16 minutes adrift in third. Toyota trio, SA Gazoo Racing crews Henk Lategan, Giniel De Villiers and former Le Mans winner Romain Dumas follow from Martin Prokop and Viktor Chytk in a Ford Raptor.

Another all-South African crew, eighth placed Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer’s Century CR6-T leads the rear-wheel drive T1.2 class. Daniel Schröder and SA navigator Ryan Bland’s PS Laser Red-Lined VK50 lead the amateur T1.1 class with teammates Tom Bell and SA’s Gerhard Schutte third. Which leaves South African made race cars leading three of Dakar 2023’s four car classes.

SOUTHERN AFRICAN BIKERS DOMINATE

Botswana’s Ross Branch on his Factory Hero and South African Michael Docherty’s R2 amateur class FK Husqvarna were in the mix from the get-go on Wednesday. Docherty initially led Factory Honda duo Adrien van Beveren and Pablo Quintanilla, who were closely trailed by Kevin Benavides’ KTM and Branch. Branch made steady progress to move ahead of van Beveren, Docherty, Benavides and Matthias Walkner’s KTM to win.

Further back, overall top two Skyler Howes’ Husqvarna and Toby Price’s KTM struggled to open the road as Howes led Price home by 34 seconds to consolidate his advantage. But it was Kevin Benavides passed them both to now lead Howes by a minute and a half overall, with Price a further 40 seconds adrift, over 3,000 km into Dakar 2023!

Docherty is back into the top 20 overall in 19th, as he now leads the motorcycle rookie rankings by all of 3 minutes and is up to fourth in R2. SA Malle Mote Hero Charan Moore finished 52nd after a tough day, but he’d crucially done enough to hold onto his 21 minute overall no service class lead.

Fellow South Africans, Stevan Wilken rode in 75th on Wednesday, Stuart Gregory 76th and Iron Lady Kirsten Landman 79th. Gregory is up to 67th overall and 10th in Malle Moto, Landman 76th overall and 12th in Malle Moto, and rookie Wilken 78th overall. Marcelo Madieros took the quad stage from  Manuel Andujar and Giovanni Enrico, with overall leader Alexandre Giroud fifth on Wednesday.

Seth Quintero and former quad winner Ignacio Casale fought it out for T3 side-by-side prototype honours, while Guilaume de Mevius kept Austin Jones in check overall. South African crews, rookie leaders Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar ran 14th to retain their 7th overall. 12th overall Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman were 20th on the day.

Gerard Farres Guell led Eryk and Marek Goczal in the T4 side by sides as Eryk Goczal slashed overall leader Rokas Baciuska’s advantage down to just 3 minutes 40 seconds with four days left to race. New overall leader Janus van Kasteren’s Iveco also led the trucks on Wednesday after overall leader Ales Loprais withdrew his Praga from the race due to a tragic incident which claimed the life of a spectator.

Thursday’s varied 274 km stage deep into the Empty Quarter is the first half of this year’s marathon stage. Crews are not allowed service assistance and will be in isolation overnight in a Camp in the desert.

Words: Motorsport Media

https://bit.ly/3isYgSj

Colin-on-Cars - The desert bites back

The second week of Dakar bit hard as crews returned to action on Tuesday. Nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and navigator Fabien Lurquin took their fourth stage win of the race at the top of a Prodrive Hunter 1-2-3. Loeb continues in his relentless pursuit of comfortable overall leader Nasser Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s TSA-built Gazoo Racing Toyota Hilux.

Sebastian Loeb

It’s not that simple in the bikes, however. Luciano Benavides’ Husqvarna took the day from Toby Price’s KTM, which closed third place Skyler Howes and his Husqvarna’s overall lead down to just three seconds after 3,000 km of racing! South African riders, Malle Moto leader Charan Moore and second in the rookies, Michael Docherty continued to star.

CARS: LOEB WINS, NASSER STILL IN CONTROL

Week 2 started with Tuesday’s 358 km stage comprising mainly of gravel roads and tracks, with a few dunes lurking towards the end of the day at Haradh. Lower altitudes were said to favour the rear wheel drive cars, which do not enjoy turbo boost compensation, as the 4x4s do. And with 7% of rocks announced, punctures were inevitable as teams pondered the best tyre pressure strategy.

Prodrive was clearly on a mission. Loeb, Chicherit and Zala’s Prodrives led the rear wheel drive trio of Jakub Przygonski’s Mini, Frenchmen Mathieu Serradori’s Century CR6-T, South African Brian Baragwanath’s Century CR6-T, and Mattias Ekstrom’s Audi.

Overall leader Nasser Al-Attiyah was initially the best of the SA-built Toyota Gazoo Racing Hiluxes in a row in eighth, ahead of second overall Lucas Moraes, Le Mans winner Romain Dumas and South Africans Giniel De Villiers and Dennis Murphy.

Giniel de Villiers

The week did not start well for Carlos Sainz Sr. and Lucas Cruz when they rolled their Audi RS Q e-Tron quattro into retirement only five kilometres into the stage. Second overall, South Africans Henk Lategan and Brett Cumming’s factory Gazoo Toyota was also in trouble but only lost 40 minutes thanks to Saudi home hero, Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz’s stopping to assist in their Hilux. 

It was tight up front with 12 minutes covering the top 20 cars at mid distance. The field also shuffled significantly through the morning as crews struggled to find the way. Zala led Loeb, Ekstrom and Dumas, but it was Loeb from Zala and Serradori at the next point.

Loeb duly fought Zala off, with Chicherit third for a Prodrive 1-2-3 from Ekstrom’s surviving Audi. Dumas was the first Toyota home in fifth, ahead of Przygonski’s 4x2 Mini, de Villiers, Attiyah, Sebastain Halpern’s Mini, and Moraes in tenth. The Centuries had a tough day. Baragwanath fought home in 11th as Serradori lost 33 minutes. Lategan ultimately dropped 53 minutes.

This all means that Al Attiyah now leads the overall standings by just over an hour ahead of Brazilian rookie, Lucas Moraes, who has really made an impression thus far. Relentless Loeb’s fourth Dakar 2023 stage win sees him move up to third, a further 28 minutes clear of the hapless Lategan, de Villiers and Dumas making it five SA-built Toyotas in the top ten. Martin Prokop’s Ford Raptor is seventh from Baragwanath’s SA built 4x2 Century.

All-Chinese crew Wei Han and Mai Li’s Hanwei SMG sits ninth from Juan Cruz Yacopini’s sixth SA made Toyota in tenth. Still running as we wrote, class leaders Daniel Schröder and SA navigator Ryan Bland’s SA-built Red-Lined VK50 led the T1.1 amateur class with Tom Bell and another SA navigator Gerhard Schutte second and 41st overall.

JUST AS TOUGH IN THE BIKES

Tough conditions up front and tricky virgin road navigation challenged Sunday’s bike frontrunners, who struggled to open the road. Mason Klein’s KTM, Honda Riders Adrien van Beveren and Pablo Quintanilla, Daniel Sanders’ GasGas, Botswana’s Ross Branch on his Hero and SA rookie Michael Docherty’s Husqvarna all got lost and tumbled down the day’s order. 

That left Toby Price, who started 17th on his Factory KTM, and Husqvarna counterpart Luciano Benavides, who set off 21st, trading the stage lead. Husqvarna duo R2 privateer Toni Mulec and overall leader Skyler Howes, fought over third and fourth. 

They took early advantage of finding their rivals returning from getting lost to lead the day. It went even worse for eighth overall, the hapless Joan Barreda who crashed out of the Dakar yet again after 16 km. He was airlifted to hospital in Riyadh. Third overall, Klein also fell and lost his roadbook.

Luciano Benavides

Luciano Benavides hung on for the win ahead of Price, Howes, Jose Florimo’s Honda, Kevin Benavides’ KTM and rookie Mulec. Van Beveren ended 12th, Quintanilla 18th, Sanders was 20th, SA hero Docherty 21st, Klein 23rd and Branch 28th. Overall, Howes leads Price by just three seconds after 3,000 km of racing! Kevin Benavides is five minutes back with Quintanilla and Klein more than 15 minutes adrift.

Of the SA riders, Docherty is 20th overall, second of the rookies by 9 minutes, and fifth in amateur R2. HK Husqvarna teammate and compatriot Charan Moore delivered another epic Malle Moto no service win to open up his lead in the Dakar Original class to over 23 minutes. 

Fellow South Africans, Stefan Wilken in 68th, and Malle Moto duo, Stuart Gregory and Kirsten Landman, were still racing in 83rd and 90th at the time of writing. Gregory was a virtual 68th overall,  Landman 78th and Wilken 80th as we wrote. The quads were also still running as outsiders Laisvydas Kancius and Marcelo Meredius led second overall Moreno Flores and overall leader Alexandre Giroud.

Elsewhere, Mitch Guthrie led the surprising Dania Akeel and overall leader Guilaume de Mevius in the T3 Prototype side by sides. SA crew, rookie leaders and 7th overall, Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar’s GR Rally sat third on the day. 13th overall, another SA duo Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman’s HBE Can Am was running in 11th on Tuesday.

Up to a virtual second overall, Eryk Goczal led T4 side by side leader Rokas Baciuska and Jermais Gonzalez at the time of writing. And second overall Janus van Kasteren, Darek Rodewald and Marcel Snijders’ Iveco led Jaroslav Valtr’s Praga as overall leader Ales Loprais’ similar machine sat 7th among the trucks.

It’s a murderous 114 km of sand, sand, and more sand on Wednesday’s tenth Dakar 2023 stage from Haradh to Shaybah on Wednesday. The perfect scenario to turn the race once again on its head. 

Words: Motorsport Media

https://bit.ly/3CD5vOb

Colin-on-Cars - Al-Attiyah still on top

Dakar 2023’s opening week has been a stunning success for South African men and machines, with incredible results across all categories. SA-built cars lead three of Dakar’s four car categories to the traditional midway rest day, as South African riders led the way among the two wheelers too.

Nasser Al-Attiyah

2022 car winners, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel’s Gazoo Racing Hilux leads a proudly South African built Toyota 1-2-3 overall. Five SA Hiluxes occupy the top six after the first half of the race. South Africans, Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer’s Century also leads the T1.2 4x2 class. German Daniel Schröder and his South African navigator, Ryan Bland,  also lead the amateur T1.1 4x4 car class in their South African built PS Red-Lined VK50 .

Sunday was a red letter day for Southern Africans on two wheels too. Botswana star Ross Branch stormed to victory amongst the bikes. SA rookie Michael Docherty was sixth to take the day in the amateur R2 class and slash his rookie class second overall to just five minutes behind leader Neels Theric. 33rd overall, Charan Moore took yet another Malle Moto win to consolidate his lead in the no service class.

Ross Branch

CARS: SOUTH AFRICAN DOMINATION

Navigation and opening the road up front appeared difficult on Sunday. Saturday’s car top five languished well down the order at mid distance. 31st place starters Carlos Sainz Sr. and Lucas Cruz’ Audi RS Q e-Tron led the way from overall leader Al Attiyah, and Sebastien Loeb in his Prodrive Hunter. Loeb later overtook Al Attiyah for second. 

Sainz’ woes continued as a speeding penalty cost him an almost certain stage win. Loeb therefore won the stage ahead of Al Attiyah and penalty-stricken veteran, Carlos Sainz Sr. in third. SA duo Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings were fourth as top ten runners, Romain Dumas and Max Delfino Dumas ended ninth, with Baragwanath 20th and Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy’s Gazoo Hilux 21st.

So, Al Attiyah leads a Toyota 1-2-3 by an hour from Lategan and rookie Moraes. Loeb has clawed back to fourth, seconds clear of de Villiers. Le Mans winner Dumas makes it five SA Hiluxes in the top six from Martin Prokop’s Ford Raptor in seventh and Baragwanath and Cremer’s SA-built Century that leads the T1.2 4x2 class in eighth overall.  Schröder and Bland’s SA Red-Lined also leads the amateur T1.1 4x4s. 

Looking back at the first week, the petrol-electric Audis hit the ground running. WRC legend Sainz took both the prologue and day 1 in the Audi. Al-Attiyah then won Day 2 as Sainz stayed ahead overall. Guerlain Chicherit’s Hunter took Day 3 as Attiyah in 13th moved into a lead he would not relinquish. Loeb then bounced back from his trouble the previous day to win on Wednesday.

Al Attiyah then consolidated his lead with double wins Thursday and Friday. Toyota GR Hilux duo, Saudi hero Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk van Zitzewitz hit back from a horrid week to win on Saturday before Loeb benefited from Sainz’ penalty to take a second win on Sunday.

Of the pros, Serradori sits 12th, Al Rajhi provisionally 17th, Prodrive trio Chicherit in 16th, Vaidotas Zala 39th and Orlando Terranova has retired. Sainz’ progress is scant reward after Dakar’s first week was particularly cruel to the highly vaunted petrol electric Audi team. He sits 37th overall with Ekstrom struggling and Stephane Peterhansel out after a disastrous first week.

Henk Lategan

BIKES: SA HEROES BRANCH, DOCHERTY, MOORE WIN

Sunday was also splendid for Southern Africa on two wheels. Botswana’s Ross Branch put a torrid first week behind him to take a storming win on his Hero. He ended a minute and 33 seconds clear of Mason Klein’s KTM, Daniel Sanders’ GasGas, Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien van Beveren’s Hondas, and SA rookie and R2 amateur class winner, Michael Docherty on his FK Husqvarna.

Branch and Docherty were in the mix from early Sunday, with Ross second behind Klein, and ahead of Sanders and Docherty. Branch moved into the lead as Pro riders, van Beveren on a Honda and Hero man Seb Bühler moved past Docherty as the morning wore on, but Iron Mike fought back to end sixth. 

South Africa’s no service Malle Moto Original class leader Charan Moore meanwhile enjoyed another productive ride to 33rd overall. Compatriots, Malle Moto duo Stuart Gregory was 80th, rookie Stevan Wilken 86th, and Iron Lady heroine Kirsten Landman 89th.

Kirsten Landman

The bike race has delivered exceptional racing with eight winners in eight days of racing. Toby Price’s KTM took the prologue before Ricky Brabec won day 1 on his Honda and then Klein took Monday’s race to lead overall. Sanders won on Tuesday, as Joan Barreda’s Honda then took Wednesday ‘s win as Sanders led overall.

Adrien van Beveren won Day 6 as the consistent American Skyler Howes took the overall lead on his Husqvarna. His teammate Luciano Benavides took Friday’s win as Howes stayed ahead overall. Saturday’s bike race was cancelled, before Branch made it 8 out of 8. Klein moved a mere 40 seconds clear of Howes overall, with Benavides, Price, Quintanilla, and van Beveren within 5 minutes of the lead.

Michael Docherty got off to a flying start early in the week, mixing it up with the pros up front, before struggling a little on the tough third and fourth days. He regrouped and forged back to second among the rookies. A fired up Sunday run saw him back up front to end sixth as he climbed to a provisional 21st overall at the rest day.

Charan Moore took control of Malle Moto from the get-go, winning the no service class on the prologue and four of the first seven days to emerge a comfortable original leader on Friday before Saturday’s stage was cancelled. 33rd on Sunday, he won Malle Moto again to sit 31st overall. Ross Branch suffered a dreadful midweek, before winning on Sunday to claw back to 35th overall.

Although exhausted by Friday, amateur SA Malle Moto duo Stuart Gregory and Kirsten Landman starred throughout. They sit 10th and 12th in the no service class, and 68th and 77th overall. Rookie Stevan Wilken had a clean run until a fall on Friday, but he bounced back to 80th overall.

Dakar has also been cruel to the bikers. 2022 winner Sam Sunderland and SA amateur Bradley Cox crashed out on Day 1. Sunday winner Brabec went out Monday and Hero rider Joaquim Rodriguez was one of ten bike retirements on Thursday. Sherco pro Rui Goncalves went out Friday, while Dakar has not been kind to troubled Hero duo Branch and Seb Bühler, among others.

Michael Docherty

EPIC ACTION IN ALL DAKAR CLASSES

Elsewhere, Christina Gutierrez Herrero took the T3 side-by-side prototype prologue. Red Bull teammates Francisco Lopez Contardo won Day 2, Mitch Guthrie day 3 and Austin Jones day 4. Guthrie won Thursday, and Seth Quintero Friday before Guilaume de Mevius broke the Red Bull stranglehold on Friday. Guthrie took a third win on Saturday and Joao Ferreira took the Sunday win.

Overall, de Mevius and Francois Casalet’s GR Racing leads a Red Bull throng of Jones, Quintero and Contardo after form man Guthrie fell well down after several issues. 7th placed  South African crew Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar enjoyed a strong week to lead the T3 rookies in their GR Rally, with compatriots Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman 14th in their HBE Can Am.

Rokas Baciuska leads Marek and Eryk Goczal in the T4 side-by-sides. Baciuska won the prologue before teen sensation Eryk Goczal took Day 1 and dad Marek Goczal won Day 2. Cristian Batista won Tuesday, Eryk Goczal Wednesday, and Baciuska took Thursday’s stage. Marek won Friday, Baciuska Saturday, and Jeremias Gonzalez on Sunday. Mozambican Paulo Oliveira and Miguel Alberty sit 26th overall.

Dominant throughout the early days, Frenchman Alexandre Giroud took control of the quads. He then rolled back the throttle to control the pace over Pablo Copetti, Friday winner Moreno Flores, Saturday and Sunday winner Manuel Andujar, and rookie Juraj Varga overall.

Ales Loprais, Petr Pokora and Jaroslav Valr’s Praga leads the trucks overall from Martin van den Brink and Janus van Kasteren’s Ivecos. Martin Macik’s Iveco took the Prologue and Day 1 before Loprais won on Monday. Gert Huznik’s Iveco won on Tuesday before retiring on Wednesday when Macik won again. Loprais, van den Brink, van Kasteren and Macik took the next four stage wins.

Monday’s rest day will bring a much needed recharge to the four-wheeler crews after eight gruelling days of racing, while the bikers will enjoy their second day off in three. The action resumes on Tuesday with a rather different and mainly gravel 358 km long track. Tuesday’s stage will be the ninth of 14 stages to Haradh, where a few dunes will test crews toward the finish. 

Words: Motorsport Media

https://bit.ly/3vNkLEv

Colin-on-Cars - Toyota hangs onto Dakar lead

South African cars are leading three of the 2023 Dakar Rally’s four classes, with Nasser Al Attiayh Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s Gazoo Racing DKR T1+ leading a made in SA Hallspeed Toyota Hilux overall 1-2-3-4 to dominate the top T1+ 4x4 class. 

Brian Baragwanath

SA crew Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer’s SA-built Century Factory Racing CR6-T leads the T1.2 4x2s, while Daniel Schröder leads the T1.1 4x4s, alongside South African co-driver, Ryan Bland, in their PS Laser Red-Lined VK50. Saudi home hero Yazeed Al Rajhi and navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz meanwhile added another Hilux stage win on Saturday.

Saturday’s 333 km stage, initially planned to be 470 km, was revised, shortened and re-routed from Riyadh to Al Duwadimi for the cars, side-by-sides and trucks. The bike and quad stage was cancelled due extreme weather conditions that included Saudi Arabia getting more rain in in the past week, than its average annual rainfall. Saturday thus became a mini marathon stage as teams met crews for a two hour service en route to the Duwadimi bivouac camp.

Four of the top five positioned cars early on Saturday were merely academic. All of Guerlain Chicherit and Vaidotas Zala’s BRX Prodrives, Audi survivor Carlos Sainz, and Saudi home hero Yazeed Al Rajhi’s Toyota GR Hilux were well down the overall order. Fifth overall, Mattias Ekstrom’s Audi, initially third on Saturday, was the leading top ten runner with sixth man Sebastien Loeb’s Hunter running sixth. There was drama when 11th overall Erik Van Loon rolled his Hilux out of the race.

Chicherit led initially, from Al Rajhi, Ekstrom, Sainz and Zala. Overall leader Al Attiyah was back in 16th, pacing himself against second overall teammates Henk Lategan. Third overall, rookie sensation Lukas Moraes and Timo Gottschalk’s Toyota sat 8th. South African crew Giniel De Villiers and Dennis Murphy’s Gazoo Hilux were 12th, and under pressure from Ekstrom for fourth overall.  Century duo, Mathieu Serradori and Brian Baragwanath ran seventh and ninth.

Top three, Chicherit, Al Rajhi and Ekstrom swapped the lead through the morning. There was more drama as things went from bad to worse for Audi. Its last remaining petrol-electric top ten runner, Ekstrom ground to a halt around midday. That left Chicherit ahead of Al Rajhi, Sainz, Zala, Lategan, Serradori, Moraes, Loeb, Baragwanath and former Le Mans winner Romain Dumas’ Toyota – who is now up to sixth overall.

Giniel de Villiers

It was however Al Rajhi and navigator Dirk van Zitzewitz who emerged victorious to keep Toyota’s cup of success flowing over. Prodrive duo Zala and Chicherit completed the podium. Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy were however the spiritual winners of the day as they made great strides towards the end of the stage to bring their Hilux home fourth ahead of Baragwanath, Lategan and Serradori. Al Attiyah was 14th, losing just five minutes to teammate Lategan.

Al Attiyah thus leads Lategan by an hour and four minutes with Moraes third from de Villiers and Loeb. Dumas follows, 2 minutes clear of two wheel drive leader Baragwanath. There are now seven South African made cars in the Dakar top ten. Further back, Schröder and Bland’s PS Laser Red crossed the finish line as we closed for press, meaning that Attiyah, Baragwanath and Schröder’s South African-built cars continued to lead three of Dakar’s four car classes.

The side by sides and trucks were still in the stage at the time of writing. Martin Macik and Janus van Kasteren’s Ivecos led overall truck leader and Friday winner, Ales Loprais’ Praga. Rokas Baciuska led the T4 side by sides from Cristiano Battista and Friday winner Marek Goczal, which Rodrigo Luppi De Oliveira led from Baciuska overall.

Ales Loprais

Joao Ferreira’s Yamaha was ahead of Francisco Lopez Contardo’s Can Am and Ignacio Casale’s Can Am in the T3 prototypes. SA crews Eben Basson and Abertus Pienaar GR were running in an impressive fifth and Geoff Minnitt and Gerhard Snyman HBE Can Am ninth. Seth Quinteiro won Friday’s stage, while Guilaume de Mevius led Austin Jones and Quinteiro overall, with Basson ninth and Minnitt 14th.

The bikes and quads will return to action on Sunday. Husqvarna rider, American Skyler Howes leads overall from KTM men Toby Price, Kevin Benavides, and young privateer Mason Klein. Honda duo, Friday winner Adrien Van Beveren and Joan Barreda follow. Less than ten minutes separate the lot of them. 

South African FK Husqvarna privateers, Michael Docherty is 23rd overall and a close second among the rookies. Malle Moto Original no service class leader Charan Moore is 32nd. Botswana’s Ross Branch is remarkably 40th on his Hero after a truly horrible week in the saddle. SA Malle Moto duo, Stuart Gregory sits 70th and Iron Lady Kirsten Landman 79th and Dakar rookie Stevan Wilken 83rd.

Alexandre Giroud holds a 45 minute quad advantage over Moreno Flores, Pablo Copetti and Friday winner Manuel Andujar.

Sunday’s stage was planned as a 366 km run from Al Duwadimi back to Riyadh at the time of writing.

Words: Motorsport Media

https://bit.ly/3GMqhNP