France’s Stephane Peterhansel on Friday won the Dakar Rally for the 14th time, 30 years after his initial success in the most gruelling event on motorsport’s calendar.
Stephane Peterhansel, nicknamed ‘Mr Dakar’, has now won the car category eight times, having also won the motorbike category six times.
The 55-year-old Mini driver, aided by co-pilot Edouard Boulanger, finished ahead of Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah (Toyota), with Spain’s Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium in another Mini.
South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers finished eighth overall, 3 hours, 58 minutes and 39 seconds behind Peterhansel, while Shameer Variawa was 19th and Brian Baragwanath was 25th.
Peterhansel’s victory came shortly after news that French motorcyclist Pierre Cherpin had died from his injuries after a fall, becoming the race’s first fatality this year.
Argentina’s Kevin Benavides won the motorbike category, leading home defending champion Ricky Brabec of the United States in a first Honda 1-2 since 1987.
Briton Sam Sunderland, the 2017 champion, finished third.
Benavides, who broke his nose in a crash on the fifth stage that saw his helmet shattered, became the first South American to win the category, calling it “absolutely crazy”.
“I went at 110 percent, but now it’s true: I’ve won the Dakar – I’m so, so happy! I did some mistakes, for sure. I think it’s impossible to do a perfect Dakar,” he said.
“The important thing is to always continue, to stay calm and focused day by day and to work hard day by day.”
Brabec admitted to feeling “pretty bummed” at not defending his title, but added that “number two will work”.
“I didn’t even know that Honda had already won a one and two finish. I wasn’t even born in 1987! It’s cool to go one and two again.”
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Dakar Rally results after the 12th and final stage with a 225km timed special between Yanbu and Jeddah on Friday:
Cars
1. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) 2hr 17min 33sec, 2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) at 2:13, 3. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) 2:53, 4. Cyril Despres/Michael Horn (FRA/SUI/Peugeot) 4:01, 5. Vladimir Vasilyev/Dmitro Tsyro (RUS/UKR/Mini) 5:36, 6. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Göttschalk (POL/GER/Toyota) 6:35, 7. Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Xavier Panseri (UAE/FRA/Peugeot) 6:39, 8. Brian Baragwanath/Taye Perry (RSA/RSA/Century) 6:39, 9. Mathieu Serradori/Fabian Lurquin (FRA/BEL/Century) 6:51, 10. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo (RSA/ESP/Toyota) 7:39
Overall standings
1. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) 44hr 27min 11sec, 2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) at 14:51, 3. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) 1.01:57, 4. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Göttschalk (POL/GER/Toyota) 2.36:03, (penalty: 2:00), 5. Nani Roma/Alexandre Winocq (ESP/FRA/Brx) 3.22:48, 6. Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Xavier Panseri (UAE/FRA/Peugeot) 3.29:31, 7. Vladimir Vasilyev/Dmitro Tsyro (RUS/UKR/Mini) 3.29:38, 8. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo (RSA/ESP/Toyota) 3.58:39 (penalty: 21:00), 9. Martin Prokop/Viktor Chytka (CZE/CZE/Ford) 4.10:21. (penalty: 1:00), 10. Cyril Despres/Michael Horn (FRA/SUI/Peugeot) 4.50:09. (penalty: 49:00)
Motorbikes
1. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) 2hr 17:02, 2. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) at 2:17, 3. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) 4:13, 4. Skyler Howes (USA/Ktm) 5:49, 5. Daniel Sanders (AUS/Ktm) 7:11, 6. Lorenzo Santolino (ESP/Sherco Factory) 10:31, 7. Joan Pedrero Garcia (ESP/Ktm) 10:40, 8. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR/Hero) 12:18, 9. Jaume Betriu (ESP/Ktm) 12:35, 10. Sebastian Bühler (GER/Hero) 13:06
Overall standings
1. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) 47hr 18min 14sec (penalty: 2:00), 2. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) at 4:56, 3. Sam Sunderland (GBR/Ktm) 15:57 4. Daniel Sanders (AUS/Ktm) 38:52 (penalty: 7:00), 5. Skyler Howes (USA/Ktm) 52:33 (penalty: 6:00), 6. Lorenzo Santolino (ESP/Sherco Factory) 58:30, 7. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI/Husqvarna) 1.26:39 (penalty: 10:00), 8. Stefan Svitko (SVK/Ktm) 1.43:07, 9. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) 2.32:12 (penalty: 2:00), 10. Martin Michek (CZE/Ktm) 2.42:37 (penalty: 23:00)
