Auto-motorsport·Motorautosport·17 jan 2024

All the latest Dakar 2024 news and updates from Saudi Arabia as the convoy dug deep on Wednesday.

– With just three stages left at the start of Wednesday, there were plenty of challenges on the loop around the Stage 10 AlUla bivouac with the primary concern for competitors on four wheels – avoiding punctures. Brazilian Lucas Moraes was the best placed of the Ultimate podium challengers in 12th with Frenchman Sébastien Loeb cutting into leader Carlos Sainz’s advantage by seven minutes despite complications while changing his wheels. Loeb, who lies just 13m22s behind the Spaniard with two stages left, said: “We had two punctures. [To change the wheels] we had to climb among the rocks to find a way to be able to lift a rear tyre. I guess we lost about 15 minutes for this.”