On the demanding 185km 12th stage of the Dakar Rally, which showcased some of the world’s most breathtaking and challenging desert landscapes, Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver, Fabian Lurquin, achieved a remarkable victory in their BRX Prodrive Hunter. This triumph catapulted them into the second position in the general standings with just two days left in the competition.
From the outset of today’s stage, Loeb demonstrated his driving prowess by maintaining the lead from start to finish, finally securing a win with a margin of 3 minutes and 19 seconds over Mattias Ekström’s Audi. This victory marked Loeb’s sixth stage win of the 12 completed so far, affirming his dominance in this year’s rally.
Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq, another Prodrive Hunter team, finished in fourth place for the stage, adding to their impressive record of seven stage victories throughout the event.
Loeb began the stage in third place, trailing Lucas Moraes’s Toyota by 9 minutes and 37 seconds. By the end of the stage, he had closed the gap to lead Moraes by over 2 minutes, steering his BRX Prodrive Hunter towards a potential second consecutive runner-up finish in the Dakar Rally.
Despite a strong performance today, Nasser Al Attiyah, who finished third in his Toyota, maintains a substantial total lead of 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 10 seconds.
However, Loeb’s latest stage win has bolstered his position in the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, as he continues to accumulate points from both stage victories and total rankings.
The two-day marathon stage through the Empty Quarter presented additional challenges for the rally teams, with no support crews or internet access available at the bivouac.
During the preceding day, Loeb and Lurquin had prepared their BRX Prodrive Hunter for the stage, while Chicherit, Winocq, Zala, and Fiuza also worked on their vehicles.
Among a series of previous setbacks, Chicherit and Zala’s performances, alongside Loeb’s successes, highlighted the Prodrive Hunters’ capabilities. The stage was remarkable for a historic 1-2-3 finish for Prodrive Hunters, showcasing their competitive edge. Each of these vehicles runs on Prodrive EcoPower biofuel, a sustainable alternative that reduces CO2 emissions by 80% compared to traditional petrol.