Sainz still in contention for 2025 Dakar win despite rollover – Ford

Ford insists Carlos Sainz Sr. There is still a shot at the 2025 Dakar Rally despite losing much time in a crash during the 48-hour Chrono stage on Sunday.

After passing the seventh checkpoint at the 325 km mark, Sainz’s Ford Raptor overturned and landed on its roof in the sand, leaving him stranded in the Saudi desert.

His teammate Mitch Guthrie Jr. immediately arrived on the scene to provide assistance, with the American supplying a rope that helped Sainz get all four wheels of the car back on the ground.

The incident caused severe damage to the rear of the Raptor and the Spaniard had to remove large sections of the bodywork before it could once again take off.

The four-time Dakar winner lost more than 20 minutes in the stoppages and eventually brought his flailing car to Bivouac E in 25th place, nearly an hour behind the pacesetter. Yazid Al-Razi Overdrive Toyota.

He is 22nd in the overall classification, facing a deficit of 49m33s ahead of the second half of Stage 2 on Monday.

M-Sport Ford team director Malcolm Wilson revealed the cause of the accident and provided a detailed description of the car’s condition after stopping.

“Unfortunately, Carlos had a problem at about kilometer 327,” he explained. “At that time, he was in first or second place, we are not sure, so he was opening the track.

‘He was on a hill and they fell upside down, the roof of the car fell on the ground. Mitch managed to help him up, and then he apparently stopped for a while to move some damaged parts and things like that.

“From what we have seen, it appears there is no structural damage. It has been running at a reasonable speed since the accident.

“(All Ford cars) will be together and hopefully we’ll get a chance to implement the repairs. Then, the most important thing is to get him back tomorrow, and to make up for what has been lost, it will probably take about an hour, which is a lot in the second stage of the Dakar, but there is still a very long way to go.

The incident occurred shortly after Sainz crossed a dune around Bisha in Saudi Arabia, although his car had landed on relatively flat and sandy terrain.

The 62-year-old man was unfortunate that the accident occurred during the marathon stage, where outside assistance from the crew is limited.

The Ford’s windshield was shattered on co-driver Lucas Cruz’s side, forcing Cruz to keep his door closed for 291 kilometers (291 mi) for the rest of the day.

With the help of other Ford runners, Sainz is now making sure the car is in good shape before completing the second half of Stage 2 on Monday morning; It is reported that there is no damage to the engine, suspension, gearbox and chassis.

“Today has been a very complex phase,” Sainz said. “After rolling over a eroded mound, we were able to move forward with the help of my teammate Michel, but then we had more problems: the car was overheating, we couldn’t see properly because of the broken glass. And we were punched. The day went from bad to worse.”

Despite Sainz’s troubles, Ford still looks competitive in its full factory debut at Dakar, with Mattias Ekström fourth in the general standings and Nani Roma Running on seventh place.

“Nani (Roma) got on very well, at one point she and Mattias were very close,” Wilson said. “It seems that in the end, before everyone stopped in the service area, he lost a little time in each area.

“He may have been hit twice and brought out the caution, so, if that’s the case, hopefully he can repair the tires tonight and be in better shape for tomorrow. Let’s see when we hear from him, he has another strong day and is not far away from the leaders.