Dakar : Volkswagen Motorsport - Leg One Volkswagen lit the blue touch paper on the opening 83 kilometre stage from Lisbon to Portimao to start the 28th Dakar Rally: Works driver Carlos Sainz leads the desert classic in his Race Touareg 2 by 1 minute 30 seconds after the first stage in Portugal on his Dakar debut. Local matador Carlos Sousa lies second in a Nissan. With Bruno Saby in third position followed by team mate Jutta Kleinschmidt, three of the five Volkswagen works drivers are among the top four of the 174 competing teams.
Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director )
"A great start to the 2006 Dakar Rally: Carlos Sainz presented us with the best time. The overall team result is satisfying the team has earned itself an enjoyable New Year`s Eve. However, we shouldn`t forget that this result has nothing to do with the bigger picture, since we haven`t even completed two per cent of the route.
#301 Bruno Saby (F), 3th overall position
"That`s what I call a good start! We are very pleased with third fastest time on the opening stage. I caught up with Stιphane Peterhansel who had dropped down the order because of a puncture. It didn`t make any sense to risk overtaking on the muddy circuit.
#303 Jutta Kleinschmidt (D), 4th overall position
"The rally started well. In spite of the different grip levels throughout the stage the Race Touareg 2 was very well-balanced. We were making rapid progress without taking any real risks. The incredible number of spectators is very impressive.
#305 Giniel de Villiers (RSA), 8th overall position
"It would have been easier to lose more than you could have gained today. That`s why I decided to run at a more cautious pace. I also had to get used to the initial braking characteristics, which are obviously set-up for very warm weather."
#307 Carlos Sainz (E), 1st overall position
"I`m satisfied to have set the fastest time at the very beginning. The conditions were everything but easy: A junction was difficult to see and we actually had to turn-back. That`s why the result is all the more satisfying.
#309 Mark Miller (USA), 10th overall position
"I`d set out to size-up the rally on the European stages, which definitely paid off since the grip level was difficult to judge under these conditions. The Race Touareg 2 ran perfectly.
Tags:
leg-one,
volkswagen-motorsport,
touareg,
dakar,
sainz,
sousa,
