Loeb limps home as teenager wins Dakar stage

AFP | Al Henakiyah

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Sebastien Loeb struggled to complete Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally yesterday after rolling his car near the start, a setback that is likely to cost him his dream of a first title in the event.

The nine-time World Rally Champion went off the road 12 kilometres into the 327-stage between Bisha and Al Henakiyah. After a nasty bounce his Dacia performed several impressive rolls, which seriously damaged the vehicle.

The 50-year-old Frenchman and his Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin set off again after a five-minute stop for repairs, but struggled throughout the rest of the stage.

Loeb, who has finished second three times in the Dakar Rally, ended the stage in 4 hours 20 minutes 12 seconds, more than an hour behind the day’s winner, 19-year-old South African Saood Variawa. “We were able to continue but suddenly the steering rod broke, I think because of the rollover,” said Loeb at the finish.

“Then we had a problem with the engine overheating. We tried to finish the stage. We managed to do so, but we lost an hour.”

Variawa, in a Toyota, finished 33 seconds ahead of Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit in a Mini.

Another South African Toyota driver, Henk Lategan retained the overall lead after finishing 12th on the day, 7mins 31sec behind Variawa.

Variawa is 41st, 7 hours 47 minutes 11 seconds behind after losing eight hours the day before following a head-on collision with team-mate and compatriot Giniel de Villiers.

Loeb sits 16th, almost an hour and a quarter off first. He also lost 30 minutes on Sunday when a fan problem caused his engine to overheat.