Jonathan FletcherIn a riveting twist at the 2024 Dakar Rally’s opener, Belgian rookie Guillaume de Mevius outpaces legendary Carlos Sainz, marking a stunning debut with a nail-biting 1:44s lead.
Belgian newcomer Guillaume de Mevius has narrowly clinched a victory over three-time Dakar Rally champion Carlos Sainz in the inaugural stage of the 2024 race.
In an unexpected turn, de Mevius triumphed with a 1:44s lead in the 414km stretch from AlUla to Al Henakiyah, consequently securing the event’s top spot by the same margin. This year, the Prologue’s role was solely to determine the starting order for Stage 1.
Sainz, navigating his Audi RS Q e-tron, embarked from the middle of the field due to earlier Prologue errors. Despite encountering three punctures, he now holds a promising position.
However, punctures severely disrupted the progress of key competitors, including Nasser Al-Attiyah, who fell to 23rd place after losing over 20 minutes.
Mattias Ekstrom, the Prologue victor, initially led up to the 225-kilometer mark on Stage 1 before a delay of approximately eight minutes relinquished his lead to Audi Sport teammate Sainz.
Sainz briefly held the lead until the 281-kilometer mark, where de Mevius surged forward in his Overdrive Racing Toyota.
De Villiers Secures 3rd Amidst Dakar Stage 1 Drama
Giniel De Villiers clinched third, trailing by 9:18s in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux. He was followed by Vaidotas Zala in the X-Raid Arijus JCW and Romain Dumas in the Rebellion Toyota Hilux.
Ekstrom tumbled to 10th place, lagging 14:20s behind the leader, with Sebastien Loeb of Bahrain Raid Xtreme not far behind, positioned 19th and trailing by 22:47s.
Both Loeb and his Prodrive Hunter teammate Al-Attiyah encountered tire punctures early on, with the latter suffering two within the initial 50km and subsequently navigating the rocky terrain with caution.
Al-Attiyah now stands 22nd, 24:47s behind the leader, while Audi’s Stephane Peterhansel lags significantly in 26th place, over half an hour behind.
Before the Cars category could commence, a delay unfolded due to a spectator’s collision with Lionel Baud’s Overdrive Hilux, necessitating an airlift to the hospital.
Official timings noted a delay in the start from 10:15 am to 11:15 am, due to the incident occurring just 200 meters into the special stage. The injured spectator received prompt medical attention and was transported to the nearest hospital.
Stage 2 promises a shift in landscape, beginning in the dunes near Al Henakiyah before transitioning into a swift 463km route concluding in Al Duwadimi.
Dakar 2024 Stage 1: De Mevius Triumphs in Surprise Victory
| Pos | Num | Nat | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 221 | BEL | GUILLAUME DE MEVIUS | OVERDRIVE RACING | 04H 35′ 59” | |
| 2 | 204 | ESP | CARLOS SAINZ | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 04H 37′ 43” | + 00H 01′ 44” |
| 3 | 209 | RSA | GINIEL DE VILLIERS | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | 04H 45′ 17” | + 00H 09′ 18” |
| 4 | 214 | LTU | VAIDOTAS ZALA | X-RAID ARIJUS TEAM | 04H 46′ 41” | + 00H 10′ 42” |
| 5 | 231 | FRA | ROMAIN DUMAS | REBELLION RACING | 04H 48′ 17” | + 00H 12′ 18” |
| 6 | 206 | BRA | LUCAS MORAES | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | 04H 49′ 24” | + 00H 13′ 25” |
| 7 | 243 | RSA | GUY DAVID BOTTERILL | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | 04H 49′ 38” | + 00H 13′ 39” |
| 8 | 201 | KSA | YAZEED AL RAJHI | OVERDRIVE RACING | 04H 49′ 38” | + 00H 13′ 39” |
| 9 | 212 | FRA | MATHIEU SERRADORI | CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM | 04H 50′ 11” | + 00H 14′ 12” |
| 10 | 207 | SWE | MATTIAS EKSTRÖM | TEAM AUDI SPORT | 04H 50′ 19” | + 00H 14′ 20” |
More news Day 1 – EKSTROM LEADS DAKAR 2024, SAINZ FACES CHALLENGE
