Dakar : Team Nissan Aventure - Leg 3
The real race started today for Benoît Rousselot and Sylvain Poncet, with the first ‘African` special stage of the Dakar. With their Nissan Pathfinder T2, they set the second-fastest time in their category in the event, and are now second in the Production general classification. A very cautious and wise approach to the race.
The competitors in this 28th edition of the Dakar spent the night on the boat between Malaga and Nador. During the crossing, everyone was able to get some rest before the serious things got underway. Benoît Rousselot and Sylvain Poncet used these precious hours in order to concentrate and sort out their race strategy.

This obviously paid off, as Benoît set the second fastest time in T2, and 36th overall in the timed sector. He is now lying 35th overall.

« We drove well, while being careful, we found the right way to right way to work together, as today was our first stage with navigation, and he had to get the feeling back after a year away. Moreover, today`s navigation was not easy… Our race tactics are perfectly on track. The car is fresh, with no damage so far. A small aside, the helicopter came down to film us face to face, and it was very impressive, even surrealistic… »

André Dessoude, very satisfied with Benoît`s progress, confirmed these words of wisdom : « For the team, the day`s satisfaction comes from Benoît Rousselot. He managed a very fine special stage and is closing on the lead in Production. Benoît now has good experience, he is always very calm and posed, and manages his day well. I am very satisfied. He needs to carry on in the same frame of mind. »

Tomorrow, another fine stage awaits the Nissan Aventure team. The first dunes and the first saline lakes, before finishing the stage in Ouarzazate…We bet they won`t have to get their shovels out.


Tags: nissan-aventure, dakar, leg-three, benoit-rousselot, sylvain-poncet,