Mattias Ekström sets fastest time in the short Dakar prologue ahead of Seth Quintero – Sebastien Loeb third – defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah not in the top 10
The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally and the fifth in Saudi Arabia began on Friday with a short prologue. Audi is aiming for its first podium finish at the third start with electric drive. Mattias Ekström showed the speed of the RS Q e-tron by setting the fastest time in the prologue
The prologue was a short warm-up to determine the starting order for the first stage. Around 130 kilometers from the bivouac in Al-‘Ula, there was a short 27-kilometer timed special. 70 cars lined up at the starting line.
In contrast to the motorcycles, which started in reverse order, the top favorites began the prologue. They were on the track directly after the top motorcycle riders. The terrain was challenging, as it went around large rocks and over sandy ground.
Defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was the first to cross the start ramp after switching from Toyota to Prodrive and was the first driver to set the fastest time at the finish. But the Qatari sports star, who also wants to take part in the Olympic Games in Paris, did not hold his mark for long.
Audi driver Mattias Ekström mastered the short opening lap with 16:30 minutes as the fastest. Seth Quintero, who is driving in the top class for the first time after switching from the T3 class and taking over from Al-Attiyah at Toyota, immediately showed his talent.
The US American lined up in second place. Record rally world champion Sebastien Loeb (Prodrive) set the third-fastest time. They were followed by the Baumgart brothers Marcos and Cristian. The two Brazilians each drive a Prodrive Hunter in the X-Rally team.
The Pole Krzysztof Holowczyc, who is contesting his first Dakar since 2015, took sixth place in X-raid’s T1+ car, the Mini JCW Plus. Record winner Stephane Peterhansel is tackling his 35th Dakar with the Audi. He started in seventh place
Lionel Baud is contesting the Dakar with his daughter Lucie in an overdrive Toyota. They drove themselves into the limelight with eighth place. Ninth place went to the Czech Martin Prokop, who is competing in a privately built Ford Raptor.
Brian Baragwanath from South Africa rounded off the top 10 with the new all-wheel-drive Century CR7-T. Al-Attiyah finished twelfth in the prologue classification. Carlos Sainz in the third Audi finished 48th, 2:18 minutes behind, putting the two veterans in an ideal starting position for stage 1.
Because there is a new procedure: For the cars and trucks, the prologue times (unlike the motorcycles) do not count towards the overall standings. Nevertheless, the times were important because the top 10 are allowed to choose their starting position for stage 1 on the stage at the bivouac in Al-‘Ula in the evening.
The fastest rider is the last to choose his position and can opt for the supposedly best starting position (tenth place). In contrast to the motorcycles, there are no time bonuses for drivers who open a stage in the cars. This is therefore generally a disadvantage. Rear starters have an advantage.
The first real stage is on the program on Saturday. A total of 532 kilometers must be covered on the route from Al-‘Ula to Al-Henakiyah. The rated special is already 405 kilometers.
Result of the prologue (Top 10):
01. Ekström/Bergkvist (Audi RS Q e-tron) – 16:30 minutes
02 Quintero/Zenz (Toyota Hilux) +0:23 minutes
03rd Loeb/Lurquin (Prodrive-Hunter) +0:38
04 Baumgart/Cincea (X-Rally-Hunter) +0:38
05th Baumgart/Andreotti (X-Rally-Hunter) +0:44
06. Holowczyc/Kurzeja (X-raid Mini JCW Plus) +0:44
07th Peterhansel/Boulanger (Audi RS Q e-tron) +0:45
08th Baud/Baud (Overdrive Toyota Hilux) +0:47
09th Prokop/Chytka (MP-Sports-Ford Raptor) +0:49
10th Baragwanath/Cremer (Century CR7-T) +0:55
