2023 Dakar stage 11 totaled 427 km. Competitors had to complete a 153 km liaison from the overnight stop in Shaybah to the start of the special. Racing today would take place entirely in Saudi Arabia’s ‘Empty Quarter’, so called for its complete desolation.
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The timed section was 274 km of sand, dunes, sand and more dunes. This stage was the first of the so-called ‘marathon’ specials. Teams would not be allowed any assistance from their service teams. All work on the race vehicles has to be conducted by the on-board crew and only within a set hour. Teams would have been very aware of that fact as they tackled the stage.
Hot Streak
Sebastien Loeb must be wishing that the 2023 Dakar Rally started this week. The former WRC champ had a torrid opening week of the race. By contrast he has taken three stage wins on the bounce this week. The BRX Hunter driver was, yet again, the first car to set off.
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The Prodrive Hunter seems well suited to the sandy conditions as Loeb set the early pace. However, there were a number of fast pursuers. Guerlain Chicherit in another Prodrive Hunter was in the hunt (sorry) as he moved into second place about halfway through the stage. Mattias Ekström, in the sole remaining Audi was showing his pace in his hybrid racer. The Toyota pair of Lucas Moraes and Henk Lategan were within spitting distance of the men in front.
New Names
Vaidotas Zala may not be a headliner like some of the more illustrious racers on the event, but the Lithuanian was making his presence known. He started the stage 41st today but showed the suitability of the Prodrive Hunter to these conditions. He surfed his was into a real challenge as the day drew to a close.
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Defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was keen on entering the Empty Quarter. The Qatari said that is where he feels at home. However, he is also well aware that he does not need any heroics with a lead of almost one and a half hours in the overall rankings.
Stage Winner
Loeb had a trouble-free run through the Empty Quarter, crossing the finish line first. It was a long wait for other crews to cross the line for the final stage results. Zala’s early pace made him a challenger for the podium, but he ground to a halt for 20 minutes, effectively ending his charge.
Loeb’s time handed him fourth stage win in succession. Chicherit made it a double for the Prodrive Hunters with Mattias Ekstrom taking the final podium spot. Moraes was the quickest Toyota in fourth ahead of Al-Attiyah and Lategan. Giniel de Villiers finished the stage in ninth spot. Loeb is now less than 10 minutes from Lucas Moraes in the GC. Based on his recent pace the Frenchman will be targeting second place soon.
General classification after 2023 Dakar Stage 11
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- Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) 39 hr 16 min 33 sec
- Lucas Moraes (Overdrive Racing) +01 hr 21 min 04 sec
- Sebastien Loeb (BRX) +01 hr 30 min 41 sec
- Henk Lategan (Toyota Gazoo Racing) +01 hr 49 min 17 sec
- Giniel de Villiers (Toyota Gazoo Racing) +02 hr 14min 18 sec
- Martin Prokop (Orlen Benzina) +02 hr 53 min 59 sec
- Brian Baragwanath (CRT) +03 hr 24 min 31 sec
- Wei Han (Hanwei Motorsport) +03 hr 54 min 07 sec
- Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing) +04 hr 08 min 31 sec
- Mathieu Serradori (CRT) +04 hr 12 min 10 sec
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