« This unfortunatly It's been a roller coaster month and a half, from my last MotoGP race in Valencia until today. A season and career in MotoGP, preparation for the Dakar, a fractured talus and a positive Covid test. It all seemed over, but as always, I was able to jump on the bandwagon. I would like to thank all my family, friends, loved ones and all the official KTM team. Tomorrow I will start my first Dakar rally, so HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE AND STAY HAPPY! »
It is with this message that Danilo Petrucci welcomed the green light given by the rally's medical authorities on Friday Dakar Rally, following a third PCR test. The Italian driver therefore had a few short hours to prepare and sleep before taking the start this Saturday morning of a prologue consisting of a 595 kilometer route at a maximum speed of between 100 and 120 km/h (controlled by GPS) , and a 19-kilometer timed event on a mix of dirt tracks and 57% sand and dunes.
The times of this first selection allowed four manufacturers to appear in the first four places, with Daniel sanders (AUS, GasGas Factory Team) in front Paul Quintanilla (CHL, Monster Energy Honda Team), Ross Branch (BWA, Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team) and Kevin Benavidez (ARG, Red Bull KTM Factory Team).
Daniel sanders, 4th in the 2021 Dakar for his first participation and third in the world championship, therefore confirms upon entering action that he remains on his momentum: “I felt very comfortable in this first special, we worked a lot on the bike which is working really well. It's cool to show speed but it's only a Qualifying Stage and the navigation will start tomorrow and the race will be long. I knew I had to be fast and there was no navigation. In these conditions, I could grab a top 5 or top 3. This will allow me to choose a place between 10 and 15 for tomorrow. It's cool to win my first special stage on the Dakar. »
The world champion Matthias walkner (KTM), fifth fastest time of the day, released what he believes will be the king's choice this evening when choosing the starting positions. “The Qualifying Stage was very difficult and intense, a bit scary in some places where it was very soft, but I tried to find a good rhythm and in the end it went well. I think fifteenth position will be the best choice for tomorrow. »
The first 15 will be able to choose their starting order for tomorrow, while Danilo Petrucci completed this baptism of fire in 23rd position, 7 minutes 30 behind the leader, once the times had been multiplied by 5.
As we publish these lines, the motorcycle riders are still on the route that takes them to Hail, while tomorrow's stage includes 514 kilometers including a 333 km special: the serious things are about to begin!
The cars rushed after the motorbikes and it was Nasser Al-Attiyah who dominates the provisional ranking, the Qatari having completed the first special in just under 11 minutes (in the car the times were not multiplied by 5). He is ahead Carlos Sainz, the South Africans Henk Lategan et Brian Baragwanath and Sébastien Loeb who completes the Top 5, while Stéphane peterhansel appears in 14th position.
