– Five X-raid cars in the top 10
– Still plenty of work to do on the rest day
The first half of the 2019 Dakar is over: the crews have five of the ten stages and a total of 3,060 kilometres behind them. X-raid can take stock of what has been a solid team performance across the board.
Two MINI John Cooper Works Buggies and three MINI John Cooper Works Rally are currently in the top ten of the overall standings. Those positions will remain the same today, as there is no special stage on the rest day.
However, ‘rest day’ is actually the wrong term for the Saturday at the Dakar, as participants are not really able to rest. The race cars must be stripped down completely, given a thorough check and prepared for the second half of the race. The mechanics already started this work as soon as the cars arrived yesterday evening.
The drivers and co-drivers do their best to relax a little on the rest day. However, there is no chance of them putting their feet up and doing nothing. Journalists are hungry for interviews and sponsors like to use the rest day to visit the teams in the bivouac. For example, 30 guests of Primax popped into the X-raid service park to watch the mechanics at work. The co-drivers must also prepare the road books for the sixth special stage.
Everyone is waiting in great suspense to see what week two of the Dakar brings with it. Many are expecting it to be even tougher.
Stéphane Peterhansel – MINI JCW Rally: “There were good points and bad points to come out of the first week. The best thing is that we are currently lying second overall. Plus, David did a very good job. Five days, and we have never gone the wrong way. On the negative side, however, I have made too many mistakes.