Dakar: Stage 11 Sarir - Siwa notes

Stage 11
Sunday 12th January 2003

Liaison: 1 km - Special stage: 438 km - Liaison: 147 km - Total: 586 km

O9:36 - A special exclusively staged off-track with endless Ergs that can go up to 100 metres. Difficulty of the day: the navigation between the dunes while keeping the good direction. On most of the stage, the sand is hard and only a few descents could be tricky.

Carlos Sousa and Henri Magne.

Photo by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.

Motobikes:
10:04 - Taking off in 21st position in this morning's special between Sarir and Siwa in Egypt, Fabrizio Meoni (KTM - n.1) has clocked the best times at both check points. Second at CP2 is Sainct (KTM - n.3) at 6min01. Third is Despres (KTM - n.7) at 6min13.

Cars:
10:18 - At km 56, Pescarolo (Nissan - n.225), Housieaux (Nissan - n.229) and Loubet (Nissan - n.228) are stuck on a dune. Pescarolo appears to be repairing.

10:32 - At CP1 after 155kms of the special, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi - n.206) has the best time so far. Second is Masuoka (Mitsubishi - n.200) at 1min30. Vatanen (Nissan - n.204) is third at 1min35.

Motobikes:
10:32 - Great Britain's Patsy Quick (Honda - n.100) has decided to pull out of the race after a fall. She is fine but exhausted and waiting for the organisation truck. Editor's Note: Quick has a possible raptured spleen.

Cars:
10:53 - After 8kms, Etienne Smulevici (Mitsubishi - n.246) has broken his turbo. It's his 21st Dakar.

Motobikes:
11:09 - At CP3 after 405kms, Fabrizio Meoni (KTM - n.1) remains the fastest. Sainct (KTM - n.3) is second at 8min33. Third is Despres (KTM - n.7) at 10min31. Lundmark (KTM - n.16) is fourth at 12min37.

Cars:
11:10 - At km 16, Joris Mattijs (Toyota - n.313) is having electrical problems. He is waiting for his assistance.

General Notes:
11:10 - 75 cars 34 trucks and 110 bikes have taken the start of this morning's stage between Sarir and Siwa. Have pulled out: Martin (N.283), Gauthier (n.319), Poirault (n.284), Wauters (n.245), Lora Lamia (n.244) and Ginesta (n.436), Gimbre (n.424).

Cars:
11:11 - At CP2 after 286kms, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi - n.206) has the best time so far. Second is Masuoka (Mitsubishi - n.200) at 1min53. Vatanen (Nissan - n.204) is third at 4min01. Fontenay (Mitsubishi - n.202) is at 5min17 and Biasion (Mitsubishi - n.207) at 8min14.

11:11 - Just before CP2, Jutta Kleinschmidt (Volkswagen - n.203) is stopped with mechanical problems.

11:24 - At CP2, after 286kms, late starter Luc Alphand (BMW - n.221) has the new second best time, 10seconds behind the best time set by Peterhansel.

Motobikes:
11:25 - On the finish line of the special between Sarir and Siwa, Fabrizio Meoni (KTM - n.1) has the best time. Second is Sainct (KTM - n.3) at 9min33. Despres (KTM - n.7) is third at 11min17. Lundmark (KTM - n.16) is fourth at 13min46.

In the overall standings, Sainct leads with a 12min47 lead on Despres and 21min01 on Meoni.

Cars:
12:20 - On the finish line of the special, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi - n.206) has won 2min26 over Masuoka (Mitsubishi - n.200).

In the overall the Frenchman now has a 16min32 lead. The other cars are still expected on the finish.

12:22 - AT Cp3, Luc Alphand (BMW - n.221) had the second best time, 1min20 behind the best time set by Peterhansel.

13:01 - On the finish line of the special, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi - n.206) has clocked the best time of the day beating Alphand (BMW - n.221) by 1min30. Masuoka (Mitsubishi - n200) is 2min26 adrift in third spot. De Mevius (BMW - n.205) is fourth at 2min40. Fifth is Ari Vatanen (Nissan - n.204) at 3min38.

In the overall Peterhansel now has a 16min32 lead on Masuoka.

Truck:
13:56 - At CP3 after 405kms, Gerardus De Rooy (DAF - n.414) has clocked the fastest time. Second Tchaguine (Kamaz - n.407) is at 6min05. De Rooy (DAF - n.409) is at 6min55. De Azevedo (Tatra - n.410) is at 12min14. Kabirov (Kamaz - n.412) is 19minutes adrift.

14:12 - On the finish line of the special between Sirar and Siwa, Gerardus De Rooy (DAF - n.414) has clocked the fastest time of the day. Second is Tchaguine (Kamaz - n.407) at 3min03. Jan De Rooy (DAF - n.409) is third at 6min41. De Azevedo (Tatra - n.410) takes fourth spot at 11min11.

In the overall, De Rooy leads by 4min52 on Tchaguine.

Cars: 14:59 - Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt (Volkswagen - n.203) as made it to CP2 pulled by her assistance truck. She has lost over 2 hours and a half on the best time set by Peterhansel.

-aso-