Dakar

Dakar: Volkswagen stage six report

Two Volkswagens in the top ten. Volkswagen should again be satisfied with the great strides of improvement made on the sixth stage of the Rallye TelefÃ³nica Dakar. As yesterday, Jutta Kleinschmidt and her team mate StÃ©phane Henrard again set top ...

Edited: Jan 10, 2003, 3:12 AM

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Stéphane Henrard and Bobby Willis

Two Volkswagens in the top ten.

Volkswagen should again be satisfied with the great strides of improvement made on the sixth stage of the Rallye Telef?nica Dakar. As yesterday, Jutta Kleinschmidt and her team mate St?phane Henrard again set top ten times on the 228 kilometre special stage from El Borma to Ghadames, once more improving their overall positions. At the beginning of the very fast stage that demanded excellent navigations skills, the German works driver with her eighth position in the day's stage notched up Volkswagen's fourth best time in the two wheel driven vehicle category after her problems at the rally's start.

St?phane Henrard and Bobby Willis.

Photo by Volkswagen Racing.

"The stage ran perfectly for us and I am very satisfied", judged the 2001 Dakar winner. "I would also like to pay a special compliment to Fabrizia Pons, my co-driver, who from the very beginning of her return to cross country rallying has done a great job. She perfectly mastered even the most demanding sections during today's navigation."

With a time deficit of only 1 minute 8 seconds St?phane Henrard's ninth place on the sixth stage confirmed the performance of the Tarek, which is powered by a 1.9 Litre TDI® engine producing 218 HP. The Belgian, with his co driver Bobby Willis, improved to seventh overall from ninth, as Jutta Kleinschmidt jumped successfully two positions into the top ten.

After Dakar newcomer Dieter Depping and co-driver Walter Bachhuber had rolled on the previous day, the team had no chance to repair the Tarek at the Bivouac. "Many components of the vehicle were too badly damaged", explained Rudolf-Helmut Strozyk, the director of Volkswagen Racing. "After today's stage that ran flawlessly for Jutta and St?phane, we are optimistic of surviving the forthcoming marathon stages in good shape." On the next two days of competition, 584 and then a further 497 kilometres must be conquered. Only support vehicles entered in the race can make the evening service for the competing buggies.

-vw-

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