Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Hilux) in cars and Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna 450) in motorcycles are emerging as winners of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which ends this Thursday.
The penultimate stage, of 258 km, was won by the Finn Mikko Hirvonen (Mini) together with his co-driver, the Frenchman Michel Perin, ahead of Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel, who increased their overall lead to 28:08.
The options of the Russian couple Vladimir Vasilyev-Konstantin Zhiltsov, who aspired to a third title, were buried in the dunes of Al Gharbia, where their Mini stopped due to mechanical problems, giving second place to the Saudi Yazeed Al Rajhi and his German co-driver Timo Gotschalk.
In motorcycles, the Frenchman Pierre Alexandre Renet took the stage victory ahead of the Chilean José Ignacio Cornejo, but the fifth place in the day was enough for another Chilean, Quintanilla, to lead the general with 2:45 minutes of advantage over Toby Price, winner of the last Dakar.
Al Attiyah and Quintanilla approach final victory
