ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has produced many final-day dramas down the years, and another thrilling climax is assured as the rally returns from the Al-Dhafra dunes to the UAE capital.
Following Wednesday’s 243 km Abu Dhabi Aviation Stage 4, it will take a spectacular turnaround to prevent a seventh cars’ triumph for Stephane Peterhansel, but the battle for victory on two wheels remains wide open.
“Today was not easy for us but we did good work to get here in good shape,” said Peterhansel. “(Thursday) we need to drive safe and be safe because we want to win, so we will do our best.”
Peterhansel, in an Audi RS Q e-tron, has increased his overall lead to 33 mins 21secs from the 2018 champion, Czech Martin Prokop, in a Ford Raptor, and needs only to avoid disaster on the last day to become the most successful driver in the event’s 31-year history.
Prokop said: “I tried to enjoy the stage and the dunes — that is why we are here and taking part in this fantastic rally. Tomorrow, well, the last stage is always with mixed feelings. I always enjoy going into Abu Dhabi, but it is a long stage so it is not easy.”
It is a completely different story on two wheels, with the top four separated by just 2 mins 34 secs, and a succession of other leading factory team riders waiting to pounce following today’s memorable first-stage win for Argentina’s Luciano Benavides. He lies ninth on a Husqvarna, 11 mins off the pace, but was ecstatic after a brilliant ride.
Sam Sunderland’s lead on his GasGas was slashed by more than 4 mins to just 23 secs from Chile’s Pablo Quintanilla on a Honda, and Australian Toby Price is just 1 min 19 secs further away, ahead of American star Ricky Brabec on another Honda.
For a third day in the car category, defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah in a Toyota Hilux was easily the fastest driver on the stage, going 3 mins 1 sec quicker than the Prodrive Hunter of Sebastien Loeb, his major rival in the tussle for the World Rally-Raid Championship title.
“I am quite happy with our performance and, yes, it has been a good day for us,” said Al-Attiyah. “I don’t know about the overall classification. But I do know that every point will help us for the championship.”
Problems over the first three days for Al-Attiyah, Loeb, Poland’s Jakub Przygonski and Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rahji sent the T1 quartet out of contention this week, opening the door for one of the lightweight prototypes towards an overall top-three finish in Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
Holding the provisional podium spot at the end of the leg in a Can-AM Maverick was Francisco Lopez. The Chilean lost 30 minutes with a broken drive shaft the previous day, but now has an advantage of 9 mins 33 secs over Spain’s Cristina Gutierrez in an Overdrive OT3.
Claiming fifth overall is Poland’s T4 leader Marek Goczal in a Can-AM Maverick, with his fellow-countryman Przygonski completing the top six for the T1 contingent in his Mini John Cooper Works Buggy.
Meanwhile, there should be no more emphatic winner in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge tomorrow than Emirati rider Abdulaziz Ahli, the defending quads champion on a Yamaha Raptor who is 1hr 48 mins 32 secs clear of Slovakia’s Juraj Varga.