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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: Difficult day for Carlos Sainz.
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For the Volkswagen factory team, the second leg of the UAE Desert Challenge was marked by ups and downs. After Monday's stage victory Carlos Sainz in the Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 started the 305-kilometre loop around the bivouac in Moreeb in first place. He fought a thrilling duel with Mitsubishi driver Luc Alphand. Up to the third time check both drivers were running in front, separated by merely a few metres. Then Sainz had to stop due to a defect in the drive system and was only able to continue the special stage after a more than three-hour repair break.
"In a hollow we had a partial failure of the drive system" said the Spaniard. "There, in deep sand, it was impossible to continue with two-wheel drive. We repaired the defect with onboard tools. At this particular location it was very difficult to work on the car. Although we lost more than three hours we will continue the rally because we want to set good times the next few days and, above all, gather more experience in the sand for the Dakar Rally."
Motorsport-Director Kris Nissen added: "It was too bad that Carlos Sainz lost a lot of time due to a defect in the drive system. Up to that point he had been one of the quickest contenders in the field. Carlos and Michel stopped and repaired the defect with onboard tools. Because the soft sand made the repair more difficult they lost a lot of time but were able to finish the stage and will continue the rally. Initial analyses have shown that it was a minor defect which does not give us any reason to be concerned."
Volkswagen factory driver Ari Vatanen was quick but got stuck in the soft sand for eleven minutes and defended his fourth place. "It was a strenuous and hot leg, leading us through high dunes all day" said the finnish Politican. "There were no tracks, only sand, sand and sand. If he hadn't gotten stuck in deep sand at the end of the special stage for eleven minutes a good result would have been possible."
Finishing the special stage in fourth position, the Portuguese Carlos Sousa in a Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 entered by Team Lagos moved up from fifth to third place. "We had a perfect special stage with a good pace. The Race Touareg was running like a charm. Today's leg took us through high dunes and, due to the low speed and high outside temperatures, was extremely difficult and hot" told the Portugesian in the evening.
2006/11/07 | 14:32 CET | Editor: UAE Live Team, VW-Press
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