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This is the single-news section of the
marathonrally.com rally-live special of the UAE Desert Challenge 2006. To navigate please use the upper or right Navigation Bar.
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UAE Desert Challenge: Carlos Sainz: We had a good leg.
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With a stage victory Volkswagen factory driver Carlos Sainz (Spain) and co-driver Michel Périn (France) took the lead in the UAE Desert Challenge. "We had a good leg" said the Spaniard. "The Race Touareg was running perfectly. Michel did a super job, we were on the right track today throughout. It was an advantage to start the leg late. After our stage victory we'll be the first car to hit the track on Tuesday and due to this starting position we're expecting to have a difficult day."
In the Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 Sainz clinched a 3.43-minute lead over Mitsubishi driver and "Dakar" winner Luc Alphand on the 284-kilometre opening leg. Ari Vatanen/Fabrizia Pons in the second Race Touareg took fourth place on the fast leg from Abu Dhabi to Moreeb ahead of the Portuguese Carlos Sousa in the Volkswagen Race Touareg entered by Team Lagos. "There were loads of opportunities for making mistakes" told Ari Vatanen. "All the more delighted are we about having had a day without any problems. We overtook Stéphane Peterhansel. After that, we got stuck in the sand for two minutes and Stéphane passed us again. At the end of the special stage I was having difficulties with the extreme heat because with outside temperatures of 36 degrees the cockpit gets very hot too."
And Carlos Sousa added: "A hot and quick leg. In the beginning we had difficulties in the dust to overtake the cars in front of us and lost our rhythm a bit. Later, we were driving alone almost the whole time. At times, we had a thrilling duel with Stéphane Peterhansel and overtook each other."
Especially Motorsport-Director Kris Nissen was happy about the today´s results for Volkswagen: "The rally was started relatively late, so the teams were driving at very high temperatures throughout the day. That was extremely strenuous for drivers and co-drivers. All three Race Touareg cars were running like clockwork. It's great that Carlos Sainz has taken the lead. At the same time, though, we should take it for granted that we'll stay in front all the way to the end. After all, it will be a long, tough and tactical rally."
2006/11/06 | 17:02 CET | Editor: UAE Live Team, VW Press
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