LUSAIL (Qatar): Denis Krotov and the rampant Polish rider Konrad Dabrowski moved into the outright lead in the car and motorcycle categories after the opening 220.31km stage of the Qatar International Baja through the northern and extreme western deserts of the country on Friday.
A time penalty cost Martin Prokop and navigator Viktor Chytka the fastest time on Thursday’s Prologue but the Czech duo took full advantage of their starting position to win the car stage in the latest version of the Ford Raptor they will use at the Dakar Rally in January.
But lightning struck twice for the former WRC star and he incurred a further 2min 21sec in penalties for a jump start and an additional one minute for failing to stop in a neutralisation. He duly lost the outright lead to the X-raid Mini JCW Team duo of Krotov and his navigator Konstantin Zhiltsov. Last year’s winners in Qatar held a virtual advantage through the early kilometres and now lead overnight by 2min 42.4sec.
FIA World Baja Cup leader Juan Cruz Yacopini and his Spanish navigator Dani Oliveras were third in their Toyota Hilux. Danial Akeel did her FIA Middle East Baja championship ambitions the world of good by rounding off the top four in her Toyota.
Yacopini said: “We made a pretty nice stage. Dani did a good job. I think we can push a little bit more if we feel more comfortable with the rear of the car.”
Despite losing time near the stage start, Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah pushed hard for the remainder of the stage to move into fifth and top the Challenger category standings from the QMMF Team’s sixth-placed Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari. Tenth-placed Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah lost around 13 minutes to his rivals after a time-consuming stoppage with a puncture and suspension issues.
