“I thought it was dead”
“I was on my way to the fuel station to drop off in a place where there are people rather than sitting in a dune,” he says with a smile found again this Monday. I thought it was dead. So, yes, you could say that I have come a long way! »
Thanks to the help provided by Pablo Moreno, Cristina Gutierrez's co-driver (also at Dacia) “connected” electronically, the “fans that went crazy started up again”, specifies the Alsatian who “thanks” the sister car for this providential helping hand.
As a result, the second part of the long special of around 960 km was much more favorable to him. Spared from trouble, he was able to attack as he pleased and wipe part of the slate. During the last 340 kilometers, Loeb took back almost 20 minutes from the leading men.
In the general classification where the South African Henk Lategan (Toyota) comes out on top, he comes close (6e ) to come back within eight minutes of his teammate at Dacia and main rival, Nasser al-Attiyah who also experienced his share of problems – punctures, power steering problem – on Monday.
General ranking after the 2nd stage:
1. Henk Lategan (RSA) 15:40:30
2. Yazeed al-Rajhi (KSA) at 4:45
3. Nasser al-Attiyah (QAT) 11:14
4. Toby Price (AUS) 11:44
5. Mattias Ekström (SWE) 13:16
6. Sébastien Loeb (FRA) 18:56
…
9. Mathieu Serradori (FRA) 23:45
Berezina at Ford
In the ranks of the competition, it is a massacre at Ford. Carlos Sainz literally folded his Raptor during a rollover in the dunes and Nani Roma stopped in the special to wait for the assistance truck. Only Mattias Ekström, current 5e is still in the race for victory.
“Compared to my position 24 hours earlier, we're not so bad. We remain in the match,” concludes Loeb at the start of the third stage, this Tuesday. Direction Al Henakiyah and the north of the kingdom for another long day.
