Stephane Peterhansel Wins The Dakar Rally For The 14th Time

From Road & Track

Since the Dakar Rally began operation in 1979, it has taken place on three major routes over four continents. Stephane Peterhansel has won in cars on every single one of them.

Peterhansel, now a 14-time Dakar winner after six wins on bikes and eight in cars, won this year's event in Saudi Arabia by a margin of just under 14 minutes, a gap that has grown consistently throughout the week. His win, shared with co-driver Edouard Boulanger, is MINI's sixth since 2012 and their second win in a row for the current iteration of their JCW buggy.

Nasser Al-Attiyah finished runner-up in a Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux, but the three-time winner has threatened not to return if the balance of performance between 4x4 cars like his and the dominant buggies of Mini and Peugeot does not improve next year. Carlos Sainz, also in an X-Raid-built MINI JCW buggy, finished third, one hour off the leaders.

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