Dakar 2024 // SS2: Casale in sixth place in the Challenger class for X-raid
14th place for Vaidotas Zala in the Ultimate class
No luck for Holowczyc and Navarro
The 463 kilometres of the second stage from Al Henakiyah to Al Duwadimi proved to be a challenge for the X-raid crews. Vaidotas Zala and Paulo Fiuza finished 14th in the MINI JCW Rally Plus after problems with the navigation. Ignacio Casale and Alvaro Léon finished the day in sixth place in the X-raid 1000R Turbo. The MINI JCW Rally Plus crews Krysztof Holowczyc / Lukasz Kurzeja and Pau Navarro / Goncalo Reis are still on the road after accidents.
At the start of the stage, Zala and Fiuza struggled with navigation and a puncture. They even dropped back to 38th place at times. However, they managed to find a good rhythm and the right route again. In order to make up ground, they took risks and went flat out. They worked their way back up to 14th place in the end. They are now eleventh in the overall standings.
Casale and Leon also had a say in the battle for the top positions today. In the X-raid 1000R Turbo they were even able to take the lead in the timesheets. After 463 kilometres, they crossed the finish line in sixth place and are now in eighth position overall. Team-mates Annett Quandt and Annie Seel finished the stage in 21st place, while Pál Lónyai and Filippo Ippolito in the third X-raid 1000R Turbo were 32nd at the finish.
The two MINI JCW Rally Plus crews Krysztof Holowczyc / Lukasz Kurzeja and Pau Navarro / Goncalo Reis were very unlucky. The Polish duo hit a large stone in the dust and were unable to continue. The young Spaniard had previously overturned elsewhere and destroyed a wheel suspension in the process.
Quotes from the drivers
Vaidotas Zala (#214 MINI JCW Rally Plus):
“It was a difficult and tough day. We got a bit lost at the start. Afterwards we had to push to minimise the damage. It was risky. We still have problems with overtaking manoeuvres. Some cars and most motorbikes don’t give way when you close on them. That’s dangerous and pointless.”
Ignacio Casale (#309 X-raid 1000R Turbo):
“I’m totally satisfied. I feel good and am having a lot of fun. I’m waiting for the dunes – my favourite terrain. The stage today was long but nice. There were dunes and sandy stretches. The navigation was very difficult. Alvaro and I got through well. I’m also pleased with eighth place overall. The X-raid 1000R Turbo is a lot of fun. The team did a great job.”
Annett Quandt (#321 X-raid 1000R Turbo)
“That was a really nice stage. The first 38 kilometres were dunes. They weren’t easy at all. Especially as we started with quite high tyre pressures. The second part of the stage was very rocky. Everything went well for us. The navigation was difficult, but we got through well. Annie did a great job.”
Dakar 2024 – result SS2 (Ultimate-class)
1. S. Peterhansel / E. Boulanger – Audi – 3h 54m 40s
2. S. Loeb / F. Lurquin – Prodrive – 3h 55m 09s
3. S. Quintero / D. Zenz – Toyota – 3h 57m 51s
4. N. Al-Attiyah / M. Baumel – Prodrive – 4h 01m 08s
5. Y. Al-Rajhi / T. Gottschalk – Toyota – 4h 01m 51s
…
14. V. Zala / P. Fiuza – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 4h 46m 41s
…
tba. K. Holowczyc / L. Kurzeja – MINI JCW Rally Plus
tba. P. Navarro / G. Reis – MINI JCW Rally Plus
Overall standings (Ultimate-class)
1. C. Sainz / L. Cruz – Audi – 8h 49m 38s
2. Y. Al-Rajhi / T. Gottschalk – Toyota – 8h 51m 29s
3. S. Loeb / F. Lurquin – Prodrive – 8h 53m 55s
4. S. Quintero / D. Zenz – Toyota – 8h 57m 14s
5. G. de Mevius / X. Panseri – Toyota – 8h 57m 22s
…
11. V. Zala / P. Fiuza – MINI JCW Rally Plus – 9h 04m 40s
Dakar 2024 result SS2 (Challenger-class)
1. E. Goczal / O. Mena – Taurus – 4h 25m 22s
2. M. Goczal / S. Gospodarczyk – Taurus – 4h 26m 22s
3. M Guthrie / K. Walch – Taurus – 4h 28m 17s4
4. M. Goczal / M. Marton – Taurus – 4h 29m 08s
5. F. Lopez / J. Latrach – Can-Am – 4h 29m 27s
6. I. Casale / A. Leon – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 4h 31m 06s
…
21. A. Quandt / A. Seel – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 5h 16m 37s
…
32. P. Lonyai / F. Ippolito – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 5h 55m 15s
Overall standings (Challenger-class)
1. E. Goczal / O. Mena – Taurus – 9h 39m 40s
2. M. Goczal / S. Gospodarczyk – Taurus – 9h 40m 59s
3. M. Goczal / M. Marton – Taurus – 9h 51m 04s
4. M Guthrie / K. Walch – Taurus – 9h 56m 47s
5. C. Gutierrez / P. Moreno – Taurus – 9h 58m 56s
…
8. I. Casale / A. Leon – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 10h 11m 44s
…
20. A. Quandt / A. Seel – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 12h 05m 19s
…
34. P. Lonyai / F. Ippolito – X-raid 1000R Turbo – 14h 28m 43s
