Dakar : Team Nissan Aventure - Leg 2Benoit Rousselot and Sylvain Poncet, much more relaxed than yesterday, set the best time in the Production category. Very satisfying, and a great relief for the Nancy-based driver, competing for Team Nissan Aventure. He had not really been aiming for this result, having opted for prudence over today`s route.
The last leg on European soil, this second Portuguese special stage was tailor-made for the rally drivers. Very technical from a driving point of view, it suited the 2002 French Rally Champion Benoît Rousselot down to the ground. With less mud than the day before, there were still plenty of spectators lining the route, in the bright sunshine.
Benoît did not even know that he had set the best time, and was very relaxed : « I feel a lot better than yesterday, as I was quite worried. The car went perfectly, and had recovered all its competitiveness. Congratulations to all the team, which quickly pinpointed yesterday`s electrical problem, and solved it. Well done ! We started off at a good pace, taking great care of the car. Sylvain was very concentrated on the notes, as it was sometimes a bit dangerous. We overtook around a dozen cars, and I must thank those competitors, who showed real fair-play.
This proves that there is a good feeling in the Dakar caravan. We didn`t go out to set the fastest time, but we wanted to be in the right place before landing in Morocco, where other people`s dust will be our worst enemy. No matter what, I really enjoyed today`s ‘rally-style` stage. It was nice to go back to my roots. Tomorrow, the Dakar will really get underway, with the first Morocco special stage. Concentration, concentration… »
After a liaison stage through Spain, all the teams will board the ship in Malaga at the end of the day, spending the night onboard, heading for Nador. Tomorrow, the first African stage will start in Morocco, heading for Err Rachidia, the rally`s first bivouac.
Tags:
nissan-aventure,
dakar,
leg-two,
benoit-rousselot,
sylvain-poncet,
