Sainz nonetheless in competition for 2025 Dakar win regardless of rollover – Ford

Ford insists Carlos Sainz Sr nonetheless has all to play for within the 2025 Dakar Rally regardless of dropping heaps of time in a crash throughout the 48-hour chrono stage on Sunday.

Having simply crossed the seventh checkpoint on the 325km mark, Sainz’s Ford Raptor flipped over and landed on its roof over sand, leaving him stranded within the Saudi desert.

His team-mate Mitch Guthrie Jr arrived on the scene quickly after to supply help, with the American supplying a rope that helped Sainz to get all 4 wheels of the automotive again on the bottom.

The rear of the Raptor sustained extreme injury within the incident and the Spaniard needed to take away main chunks of bodywork earlier than setting off as soon as once more.

The four-time Dakar winner misplaced over 20 minutes within the stoppage and ultimately introduced his hobbled automotive to Bivouac E in twenty fifth place, virtually an hour down on pacesetter Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Overdrive Toyota.

He sits twenty second within the general classification, dealing with a deficit of 49m33s forward of the second a part of Stage 2 on Monday.

Malcolm Wilson, group director of M-Sport Ford, revealed the reason for the accident and offered an in depth account of the state of the automotive following the stoppage.

“Carlos, sadly, had an issue at round kilometre 327,” he defined. “At that time, he was in first or second place, we’re unsure, so he was opening up the observe.

‘He was on a dune they usually landed the other way up, with the roof of the automotive on the bottom. Mitch managed to assist him, after which he stopped for some time to clearly transfer some broken elements and that kind of factor.

“It seems like, from what we have seen, there is not any structural injury. It has been operating at an inexpensive tempo, flat out after the accident.

“[All Ford cars] will likely be collectively and hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to implement repairs. Then, crucial factor is to deliver him again tomorrow, and from what appears to have been misplaced, it is possibly round an hour, which on the second stage of the Dakar is so much, however there is a lengthy technique to go.”

The incident occurred shortly after Sainz had crossed a dune round Bisha in Saudi Arabia, though his automotive landed on comparatively flat and sandy terrain.

The 62-year-old was unfortunate that the crash happened throughout the marathon stage, the place exterior help from crews is proscribed.

The Ford’s windshield was damaged on co-driver Lucas Cruz’ aspect, with Cruz having to carry his door shut over 291 kilometres throughout the the rest of the day.

Helped by different Ford runners, Sainz is now guaranteeing the automotive is in adequate form earlier than finishing the second a part of Stage 2 on Monday morning; the engine, suspensions, gearbox and chassis are reported to be undamaged.

“After 320 kilometres, to see Carlos again [was great],” stated Wilson. “Nevertheless, it’s important to give all of them loads of credit score right this moment. 

“I believe they’ve all carried out a tremendous job, and it seems just like the dunes have been very tough, particularly with what occurred with Carlos. It is very uncommon that you simply see Final automobiles caught in dunes, it appeared very tough dune circumstances.”

#226 Ford M-Sport Ford: Mattias Ekstrom, Emil Bergkvist

Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool

Regardless of Sainz’s troubles, Ford continues to be trying aggressive on its full manufacturing unit debut in Dakar, with Mattias Ekstrom holding fourth place within the common standings and Nani Roma operating in seventh place.

“Nani [Roma] went very properly, at one level he and Mattias had been very shut. Evidently in the direction of the tip, earlier than everybody stopped on the service space, he misplaced a little bit of time in every sector.

“Possibly he is had two knocks and brought precautions, so, if that is the case, hopefully he can restore the tyres tonight and be in higher form for tomorrow. Let’s have a look at once we hear from him, he is had one other sturdy day and he is not that far off the leaders.”