Jonathan FletcherIn the 2024 Dakar Rally results, echoing his previous year’s performance, Mattias Ekström secures the premier position in the prologue once more. American newcomer Seth Quintero smartly outpaces fan-favorite Sébastien Loeb, while Nasser Al-Attiyah, against expectations, finishes outside the top 10.
At the 2024 Dakar Rally, Audi’s Mattias Ekstrom emerged as the fastest in the Cars Prologue, while his teammate, Carlos Sainz, concluded in the 48th spot.
The Swedish driver clocked a commendable time of 16:35s across the 28km AlUla special in his RS Q e-tron. Meanwhile, 2023 Dakar victor Nasser Al-Attiyah, in his debut with the Prodrive Hunter, finished 12th.
Dakar 2024: Quintero Shines, Al-Attiyah’s Tactical Start
Al-Attiyah’s successor at Toyota Gazoo Racing, Seth Quintero, clinched the second spot in his Toyota Hilux, trailing Ekstrom by 23 seconds. Close behind, Sebastien Loeb secured third, 15 seconds adrift in a Bahrain Rain Xtreme Hunter.
Al-Attiyah’s initial lag stemmed from a navigational misstep. Notably, this year, Prologue timings won’t affect the overall standings, possibly turning this slow start to Al-Attiyah’s advantage.
Projected to commence Stage 1 from the 12th slot, the Qatari racer could avoid the challenge of leading the path had he secured the 10th fastest time, as the top 10 select their starting positions.
He expressed contentment with the start. “I’m delighted with the performance and handling. Despite losing time at one junction, we finished strong,” Al-Attiyah stated.
Marcos Baumgart and Cristian Baumgart completed the Prologue’s top five, both registering times matching Loeb’s, representing the X Rally Team in Prodrive Hunters.
Stephane Peterhansel, affectionately known as ‘Mr. Dakar’, marked the seventh quickest time in his RS Q e-tron, lagging 45 seconds behind teammate Ekstrom.
Sainz Admits Faults, Faces Tough Climb in Dakar 2024
Carlos Sainz, in another Team Audi Sport vehicle, faced challenges, finishing 48th. The three-time Dakar champion admitted to “several mistakes” and now faces the task of navigating through the pack in Stage 1.
The inaugural stage sets the racers on a 541km journey from AlUla to Al Henakiyah, featuring a significant 414km special segment.
| Pos | Num | Nat | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 207 | SWE | MATTIAS EKSTRÖM | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 00H 16′ 30” | |
| 2 | 216 | USA | SETH QUINTERO | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | 00H 16′ 53” | + 00H 00′ 23” |
| 3 | 203 | FRA | SEBASTIEN LOEB | BAHRAIN RAID XTREME | 00H 17′ 08” | + 00H 00′ 38” |
| 4 | 242 | BRA | MARCOS BAUMGART | X RALLY | 00H 17′ 08” | + 00H 00′ 38” |
| 5 | 245 | BRA | CRISTIAN BAUMGART | X RALLY | 00H 17′ 14” | + 00H 00′ 44” |
| 6 | 217 | POL | KRZYSZTOF HOLOWCZYC | X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM | 00H 17′ 14” | + 00H 00′ 44” |
| 7 | 202 | FRA | STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 00H 17′ 15” | + 00H 00′ 45” |
| 8 | 229 | FRA | LIONEL BAUD | OVERDRIVE RACING | 00H 17′ 17” | + 00H 00′ 47” |
| 9 | 208 | CZE | MARTIN PROKOP | ORLEN JIPOCAR TEAM | 00H 17′ 19” | + 00H 00′ 49” |
| 10 | 219 | RSA | BRIAN BARAGWANATH | CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM | 00H 17′ 25” | + 00H 00′ 55” |
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