VW Race Touareg 2

Dakar Rally 2009 - Leg 1

Saturday, 03rd January: Buenos Aires > Santa Rosa

• Link section: 196 km
• Special stage: 371 km
• Link section: 166 km
• Total: 733 km

For many people, the word ‘Pampas’ is a well-known term. The first leg represents the opportunity to extensively discover these wide plains. Never ago, the Dakar entrants had cope with such a long special stage, at the start of the event. Featuring nearly 400 kilometres on a surface that offered the chance of going really fast – the possibly fastest special stage of the entire rally – it represented a serious kick-off.

The four VW Race Touareg are powered by 280bhp diesel engines that have got what it takes to accelerate the two-ton vehicles from 0 to 100kph in 6.1 seconds. The major part of the event is contested on privately owned property. Some 7,000 owners signed commitments saying that the gates between their fences had to be open and the rally track had to be free off herds of cattle.

Following an asphalted link-section track, the special stage is held on a very well finished earth-sand track that offers the opportunity to drive really fast. In the opening stages, Volkswagen ace Carlos Sainz holds the lead, just two seconds ahead of BMW’s Al-Attiyah. Behind the two leaders, Mitsubishi’s Luc Alphand (1:01 minutes behind) and Stephane Peterhansel (1:13 minutes) follow in third and fourth positions respectively.

At CP1, Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah and his co-driver, Tina Thörner from Sweden, take the lead with their BMW. 11 seconds behind, Volkswagen driver Mark Miller holds third place. Robby Gordon at the wheel of a Hummer is seventh, behind a BMW and another three Volkswagens.

With 169 kilometres completed, Nasser Al Attiyah (BMW) still holds the top position and Carlos Sainz (ESP) follows 1:24 minutes behind in second. While Luc Alphand is hampered by technical problems of his Mitsubishi. At CP3, Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit (BMW) takes the lead, with Dieter Depping (VW) and Nasser Al Attiyah (BMW) holding second and third positions.

The first cars have reached CP3: again, another driver prevails in the close battle for the lead. Now, Nasser Al Attiyah (BMW) is the new leader, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Giniel de Villiers (both VW). At CP 3, however, BMW’s Guerlain Chicherit and Volkswagen’s Dieter Depping (VW) pass Al Attiyah for the lead and second position respectively.
With seven drivers having completed the special stage, Nasser Al Attiyah (BMW) is the leader, followed by Volkswagen aces Sainz and de Villiers. At this moment in time, however, it’s just a provisional result as Guerlain Chicherit (BMW) who took the lead at CP3, has not yet completed the special stage. But soon, an accident resulting in a broken front suspension makes a sudden end to the French BMW driver’s dreams of winning the special stage.

For Al Attiyah, however, the bad luck of his team-mate was good news. After all, he now is the winner of the 2009 Dakar Rally’s first special stage. The man from Qatar covered the 371 kilometres in 2:36.15 hours. 2:17 minutes behind, Carlos Sainz (VW) follows in second position, ahead of his team-mate Giniel de Villiers (2:40 minutes behind). Multi-time Dakar winner Mitsubishi, however, had to cope with a slight set-back, on the 733-kilometre leg from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa de la Pampa: it was the Dakar debut appearance of their diesel Lancer and Luc Alphand, the best of the Mitsubishi drivers, had to settle for finishing fifth.

Leg 2 »