The second loop around Ha’il took the competitors into the desert again with a mixture of sandy tracks, dunes and camel grass. This is a special challenge for the suspension of the desert racers. The X-raid team was able to further improve the setup of the MINI JCW Rally Plus. Jakub “Kuba” Przygonski and Armand Monleon were thus able to secure eleventh place. Their teammates Sebastian Halpern and Bernardo Ronnie Graue finished in 15th place. The two MINI JCW Buggy crews Denis Krotov / Konstantin Zhiltsov and Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi / Ola Floene finished the day in 25th and 26th place.
Kuba Przygonski: “This stage was also quite hard on the body because of the camel grass and the dunes. Apart from that, we liked the track. The suspension worked better today, but we still have to work on it.”
Sebastian Halpern: “That was a tough test – especially for my neck. But otherwise very nice. I’m quite happy with our 15th place. We think from day to day. Our goal is to improve a little bit every day.”
Tomorrow, the competitors face a long day. With 876 kilometres in total, the sixth stage to Al Duwadimi is the longest of the Dakar 2023. The special stage itself is 467 kilometres long and consists mainly of fast sections.
Dakar Rally 2023 – result SS5
1. N. Al-Attiyah / M. Baumel – Toyota – 4h 13m 23s
2. C. Sainz / L. Cruz – Audi – 4h 15m 20s
3. S. Peterhansel / E. Boulanger – Audi – 4h 17m 07s
4. Y. Al-Rajhi / D. von Zitzewitz – Toyota – 4h 22m 06s
5. G. Chicherit / A. Winocq – BRX – 4h 24m 32s…
11. J. Przygonski / A. Monleon – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 4h 34m 11s
…
15. S. Halpern / B. Graue – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 4h 48m 15s
…
25. D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov – MINI JCW Buggy – 5h 06m 15s
26. Sh. K. Al-Qassimi / O. Floene – MINI JCW Buggy – 5h 09m 57s
Overall standings after SS5
1. N. Al-Attiyah / M. Baumel – Toyota – 20h 47m 36s
2. S. Peterhansel / E. Boulanger – Audi – 21h 10m 12s
3. Y. Al-Rajhi / D. von Zitzewitz – Toyota – 21h 14m 37s
4. C. Sainz / L. Cruz – Audi – 21h 22m 28s
5. H. Lategan / B. Cummings – Toyota – 21h 45m 34s
…
19. Sh. K. Al-Qassimi / O. Floene – MINI JCW Buggy – 23h 47m 40s
…
22. D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov – MINI JCW Buggy – 24h 08m 10s
…
24. S. Halpern / B. Graue – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 24h 10m 35s
…
33+. J. Przygonski / A. Monleon – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 27h 39m 53s
