TIME PENALTIES HAMPER THE DACIA SANDRIDERS ON SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY

Starting the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) event’s longest stage in ninth position, Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah and French navigator Édouard Boulanger completed the 308 competitive kilometres with the fourth fastest time, a performance that earned The Dacia Sandriders the provisional overall lead.

But a 15-minute penalty for missing a waypoint will almost certainly drop the championship leaders out of the fight for back-to-back W2RC victories following their Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge win back in February.

Meanwhile, from third on the road, Frenchman Sébastien Loeb and Belgian navigator Fabian Lurquin took 3h21m32s to reach the Marathon Camp. However, a one-minute penalty for exceeding the speed limit in a controlled section leaves them in seventh position overall.

The Dacia Sandriders’ crews are now preparing for a night at the Marathon Camp with only limited equipment and provisions. Although there is no time limit on how long they work on their cars, no external assistance is allowed with all team members stationed back at the Bivouac in Sun City. Because there is no opportunity to fit replacement tyres, apart from the spares carried onboard, tyre management remains a key focus.

Tiphanie Isnard, The Dacia Sandriders’ team principal, said: “From the beginning of the race we’ve seen that the Dacia Sandrider is performing well, no issue with the car and the drivers have found it easy to drive so it’s good for the first time here in South Africa. Meanwhile, we know that it’s a tough race and making no mistake is the secret to win the race. Unfortunately, it was a mistake first yesterday with a waypoint missed for Nasser and Édouard and again today, which has had a huge impact on the result for sure. There has also been an overspeed penalty for Seb, so it’s been an up-and-down day, but we are keeping focused. It’s our first year in the championship, both cars are still running and we have to think about the finishing line.”

Part one of the Marathon Stage southwest from Sun City to the Marathon Camp near the town of Stella challenged crews over a combination of savanna, black turf and sandy tracks.

SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY STAGE 2 RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)

Sun City-Marathon Camp

Stage distance: 308km Liaison distance: 311km Total distance: 619 km

10th: Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 3h22m32s

17th: Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), 3hm32m20s

SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY PROVISIONAL OVERALL RESULTS AFTER STAGE 2

(UNOFFICIAL)

7th: Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL) +2m51s

15th: Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), +14m30

SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY: THE BIG NUMBER

308: Featuring 308 timed kilometres, Stage 2 was the longest of the South African Safari Rally, round three of the 2025 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.

THE DAY AHEAD: STAGE 3, MAY 22

The Marathon Stage concludes tomorrow (Thursday) when crews set off from the Marathon Camp near the town of Stella for an arduous 518-kilometre route back to the Bivouac in Sun City. Stage 3 is similar in character to Stage 2, which means open savanna areas and lots of dirt tracks. Organisers have highlighted sections where navigational skills will be put to the test.

Stage distance: 238 km Liaison distance: 272 km Total distance: 518 km