Dakar 2023 // SS1: Przygonski in ninth place
01/01/2023
- All four MINI in the top 30
- Dakar armada leaves Sea Camp tomorrow
After yesterday’s short prologue, the first “real” stage was on the agenda today. Jakub “Kuba” Przygonski (POL) and Armand Monleon (ESP) finished the day in ninth place in the MINI JCW Rally Plus. Their Argentinian teammates Sebastian Halpern and Bernardo “Ronnie” Graue finished 23rd in the MINI JCW Rally Plus. Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi (UAE) and Ola Floene (NOR) finished 24th in the MINI JCW Buggy. MINI JCW Buggy crew Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov also made it into the Top 30 with 27th place.
The 367-kilometre track was located south of Sea Camp and was a mixture of stony sections and sand with dunes. Przygonski lost time in the first part when he had to stop to change a tyre. He finished ninth and is also in ninth place in the overall standings.
Halpern is also satisfied with his day. The Argentinean is getting to know the new MINI JCW Rally Plus better and better. He made it through the stage without any major problems and is in 23rd place in the day’s and overall standings.
Kuba Przygonski: “That was a nice stage and we felt good in the car. The MINI is great to drive. The first part was very stony and we had to stop because of a flat tyre. Afterwards, I was certainly a bit too cautious. In the dunes at the end we pushed again.”
Sebastian Halpern: “The MINI JCW Rally Plus is a very good car and I think we can push even harder. I liked the stage – a mixture of dunes, desert and lots of stones. We are happy.”
Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi: “The stage today was a mix of what felt like everything: stones, dunes, wadis. We lost a lot of time looking for a waypoint. That’s when some competitors were able to overtake us, unfortunately.”
Tomorrow, the Dakar armada leaves the Sea Camp in the direction of Alula. The participants have to complete 430 kilometres against the clock. Most of the stage consists of dirt roads and the pilots have to be prepared for difficult navigation. The end of the stage leads through the dunes again.
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Dakar Rally 2023 – result SS1
1. C. Sainz / L. Cruz – Audi – 3h 20m 41s
2. S. Loeb / F. Lurquin – BRX – 3h 21m 04s
3. Y. Al-Rajhi / D. von Zitzewitz – Toyota – 3h 22m 40s
4. G. Chicherit / A. Winocq – BRX – 3h 22m 45s
…
9. J. Przygonski / A. Monleon – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 3h 29m 33s
…
23. S. Halpern / B. Graue – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 3h 41m 56s
24. Sh. K. Al-Qassimi / O. Floene – MINI JCW Buggy – 3h 43m 29s
…
27. D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov – MINI JCW Buggy – 3h 53m 51s
Overall standings after SS1
1. C. Sainz / L. Cruz – Audi – 3h 28m 55s
2. S. Loeb / F. Lurquin – BRX – 3h 29m 05s
3. Y. Al-Rajhi / D. von Zitzewitz – Toyota – 3h 30m 56s
4. G. Chicherit / A. Winocq – BRX – 3h 30m 58s
…
9. J. Przygonski / A. Monleon – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 3h 37m 49s
…
23. S. Halpern / B. Graue – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 3h 50m 29s
24. Sh. K. Al-Qassimi / O. Floene – MINI JCW Buggy – 3h 52m 17s
…
27. D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov – MINI JCW Buggy – 4h 03m 23s
