Fernando Alonso and navigator Marc Coma made their mark on the 2020 Dakar Rally posting the second fastest time across the finish line on Stage 8, narrowly missing out on their first-ever stage win by just 4min 4sec. The pair were the fastest of the four TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews on the 477-kilometre looped stage which started and ended at Wadi Al Dawasir.
Ever since they fell back by over two hours because of suspension damage sustained on Stage 2, the pair have consistently posted competitive stage times which shows their determination to push their limits at one of the world’s most challenging motorsport events.
Starting from sixth on the road, Fernando and Marc were in an ideal road position to attack. The crew took full advantage of their road position and a newly improved aerodynamics package, which the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team implemented during the Rest Day. The pair move up to 13th place in the overall standings, just 4min 31sec within reach of Top 10 at Fernando’s first-ever Dakar Rally.
Navigation proved tricky for the front-runners following the cancellation of the stage of motorbikes, who would normally leave tracks which the competitors in later categories can follow. Despite posting only the 11th fastest time on Stage 8, Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel managed to close the gap in the overall standings to 6min 40sec. The crew took the lead early on in the stage but lost their advantage after getting stuck on soft sand dunes. Their 11th starting road position for Stage 9 could translate to visibility issues following in the dust of competitors. Nevertheless, the crew will hope to make further progress in their Dakar Rally title defence.
It was a welcome return to the top of the timing sheets for Giniel de Villiers and navigator Alex Haro who posted the fourth fastest time, trailing the leaders by 6min 29sec. The crew reported a clean run on the stage to hold on to their sixth place in the overall standings, just 10 minutes from fifth and will be aiming to reduce the gap in the coming days.
Bernhard ten Brinke and navigator Tom Colsoul had a narrow escape on Stage 8 as an errand rock not only punctured their front right tyre but also punched a hole through a part of the chassis of their Hilux. The impact resulted in a hole in the dry sump tank. The crew lost time to change the tyre but decided to push on despite the damage and completed the stage in the seventh fastest time, 10min 19sec behind the winners. The Hilux continued to run without problems and carried the crew safely back to the bivouac for repairs.
Stage 9 will take crews from the town of Wadi Al Dawasir to Haradh, in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia. Crews are expecting more sand and hard track over the 410-kilometre special stage with the route totalling 868 kilometres making it the longest day of the 2020 Dakar Rally.