Autoblog UK

Volkswagen assumed first and second positions overall with Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F) and Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) after they mastered the challenging conditions on the Dakar Rally's second stage. Sainz took victory in the Volkswagen Race Touareg on the dusty stage between Santa Rosa and Puerto Madryn in Argentina. The Spanish-French duo staged a thrilling fight for victory on the day with the Mitsubishi pair of Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) and won by 1:14 minutes.

Third best time was sufficient for Giniel de Villiers to improve, like his team mate, one position in the overall standings. The South African is now second 2:19 minutes off the lead.

From one ocean to another, at extreme altitudes among mountains soaring up to heights of 6,000 metres, and through the most arid desert in the world: the Dakar Rally is more than just an automotive race - for the 530 competitors, it is the greatest adventure that motorsport has to offer. With the desert classic premiering in South America this year, the starters and the accompanying teams will travel across Argentina and Chile for the first time, experiencing highly diverse and fascinating landscapes along the way.

This may sound like a relaxing outdoor tour, but for the teams, it's actually the toughest part of the year, as the rally cars are put through their paces on the 14 daily stages and as the team endeavours to adapt the vehicles to the diversity of the racecourse of more than 9,000 kilometres - sometimes in very adverse weather conditions.
Volkswagen starts the Dakar Rally premiere in South America with four Race Touareg.

Their declared target: The first victory in the desert rally for the Wolfsburg based automobile manufacturer. Volkswagen has the opportunity of gaining a double entry in the cross country rallying history books during the legendary "Dakar" through Argentina and Chile between 03 and 18 January: As first brand to win this world famous off-road competition with a diesel powered vehicle and, at the same time, to be the first manufacturer to win the "Dakar" in South America.

Mitsubishi will field an unchanged team line-up in four new turbo-diesel 'Racing Lancers', with drivers Luc Alphand, Stéphane, Hiroshi Masuoka, Peterhansel, and, Joan 'Nani' Roma and being joined by their respective co-drivers Gilles Picard, Pascal Maimon, Jean-Paul Cottret and Lucas Cruz Senra in South America. The goal is the company's 13th success on this event, - including a run of seven successive wins since 2001.