Sainz still in contention for 2025 Dakar win despite rollover – Ford

Ford insists Carlos Sainz Sr nonetheless has all to play for within the 2025 Dakar Rally regardless of shedding heaps of time in a crash in the course of the 48-hour chrono stage on Sunday.

Having simply crossed the seventh checkpoint on the 325km mark, Sainz’s Ford Raptor flipped over and landed on its roof over sand, leaving him stranded within the Saudi desert.

His team-mate Mitch Guthrie Jr arrived on the scene quickly after to supply help, with the American supplying a rope that helped Sainz to get all 4 wheels of the automotive again on the bottom.

The rear of the Raptor sustained extreme harm within the incident and the Spaniard needed to take away main chunks of bodywork earlier than setting off as soon as once more.

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The four-time Dakar winner misplaced over 20 minutes within the stoppage and finally introduced his hobbled automotive to Bivouac E in twenty fifth place, nearly an hour down on pacesetter Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Overdrive Toyota.

He sits twenty second within the general classification, going through a deficit of 49m33s forward of the second a part of Stage 2 on Monday.

Malcolm Wilson, group director of M-Sport Ford, revealed the reason for the accident and offered an in depth account of the state of the automotive following the stoppage.

“Carlos, sadly, had an issue at round kilometre 327,” he defined. “At that time, he was in first or second place, we’re undecided, so he was opening up the observe.

‘He was on a dune and so they landed the wrong way up, with the roof of the automotive on the bottom. Mitch managed to assist him, after which he stopped for some time to clearly transfer some broken components and that form of factor.

#225 Ford M-Sport Ford: Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz

Photograph by: A.S.O.

“It seems to be like, from what we have seen, there isn’t any structural harm. It has been operating at an inexpensive tempo, flat out after the accident.

“[All Ford cars] might be collectively and hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to implement repairs. Then, a very powerful factor is to carry him again tomorrow, and from what appears to have been misplaced, it is perhaps round an hour, which on the second stage of the Dakar is lots, however there is a lengthy approach to go.”

The incident occurred shortly after Sainz had crossed a dune round Bisha in Saudi Arabia, though his automotive landed on comparatively flat and sandy terrain.

The 62-year-old was unfortunate that the crash befell in the course of the marathon stage, the place exterior help from crews is restricted. 

He should make sure the automotive is in fine condition earlier than finishing the second a part of Stage 2 on Monday morning.

“After 320 kilometres, to see Carlos again [was great],” mentioned Wilson. “Nonetheless, it’s a must to give all of them a whole lot of credit score right this moment. 

“I believe they’ve all completed an incredible job, and it seems to be just like the dunes have been very tough, particularly with what occurred with Carlos. It is very uncommon that you simply see Final vehicles caught in dunes, it regarded very tough dune situations.”

#226 Ford M-Sport Ford: Mattias Ekstrom, Emil Bergkvist

Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool

Regardless of Sainz’s troubles, Ford remains to be wanting aggressive on its full manufacturing unit debut in Dakar, with Mattias Ekstrom holding fourth place within the basic standings and Nani Roma operating in seventh place.

“Nani [Roma] went very effectively, at one level he and Mattias have been very shut. Evidently in direction of the top, earlier than everybody stopped on the service space, he misplaced a little bit of time in every sector.

“Possibly he is had two knocks and brought precautions, so, if that is the case, hopefully he can restore the tyres tonight and be in higher form for tomorrow. Let’s have a look at after we hear from him, he is had one other robust day and he isn’t that far off the leaders.”