PEUGEOT 3008DKRs claimed the three fastest times for the second time since the start of the 2017 Dakar Rally.
Sébastien LOEB, Stéphane PETERHANSEL and Cyril DESPRES locked out the podium on Tuesday’s shortened stage to make it an all-Team Peugeot Total overall top three once more, with the provisional leaderboard topped by LOEB/ELENA.
The three surviving PEUGEOT 3008DKRs made their mark on the 2017 Dakar Rally’s marathon test byposting the three best times on Stage 8. Sébastien LOEB and Daniel ELENA toppedTuesday’s order with an effort of 4h11m2s which has taken them 1m38s clear ofteam-mates Stéphane PETERHANSEL/Jean-Paul COTTRET who were second quickesttoday (+3m35s). The sold run of Cyril DESPRES/David CASTERA was rewarded withthe third-best time (+5m35s) and they are now back up to third overall, 6m19sahead of Nani ROMA/Alex HARO BRAVO.
In keeping withthe Dakar’s marathon stage rules, no outside servicing was permitted at lastnight’s bivouac in Uyuni where the crews were left to their own devices. Allthree Team Peugeot Total crews carried out work on their respective PEUGEOT3008DKRs, including LOEB and ELENA who changed their car’s power steering pump.The PeugeotSport pairings went on to lock out Stage 8’s podium.
Recent poorweather continued to affect the 2017 Dakar Rally and forced the organisers toshorten the two competitive sections that made up Stage 8 from 492km in totalto 417km, while servicing was exceptionally permitted between today’s two timedruns. Competitors were then blocked by a landslide on the ensuing road sectionto Salta, Argentina, which has also led to the cancellation of Wednesday’sStage 9. The service vehicles aren’t expected to reach the northwest Argentinecity before late into the night.
