Renault from Chvalín wins the 10th stage

11.1.2023

Pascal de Baar made it! The Dutch driver of the North Bohemian truck dominated the 10th stage of the Dakar Rally. The race entered the heavy dunes, where the pilot of the Riwald Dakar team showed his strength.

"Pascal feels very comfortable in the dunes. The car reacts excellently in them, and when this comes together, it is another much-desired victory. Our second win this year, but we didn't enjoy the first victory of Gert Huzink very much. Now Pascal and I are really happy because the guys are proving that we are able to fight for victory despite all the obstacles. After everything that happened to us at the Dakar, it's a nice satisfaction and motivation for everyone," MKR Technology team designer Mario Kress described the joyful moment after the finish of Wednesday's stage.

Wednesday's 10th stage from Haradh to Sheybah, with its length of 114 kilometers, was the shortest timed section of this year. The organizers prepared it in this way as a starter of the subsequent three-day journey through the ocean of dunes in the Empty Quarter, i.e. the fourth largest sand desert in the world. The crews had to cover over six hundred kilometers during the day. The final special section was all about sand and dunes. And it was in them that the Dutch pilot Pascal de Baar shone, leaving his compatriots Mitchel van den Brink second and Janus van Kasteren third. The stage also went well for Adwin Hoondert in quick assistance, which closed the elite ten. "Both cars arrived at the finish line in good condition. Even though everyone is tired, the team is in good spirits. The trucks now need to be prepared for the next marathon stage. But we hope for the best for the rest of the Dakar and we thank all the fans for their support and keeping their fingers crossed for us," said Mario Kress.

Due to the tragic event, there have been changes in the overall rating. The leader of the general ranking, Aleš Loprais, resigned from the race, having hit unconsciously a spectator behind the dune in the previous stage, who subsequently died. The crews expressed their support to Loprais, because according to all the footage, he had no chance to avoid the collision and to see the spectators at all. The Dutchman van Kasteren thus moved to the leading position. Adwin Hoondert is currently thirteenth, with de Baar right behind him.

The first part of the marathon stage is scheduled for Thursday. The eleventh race day will be over four hundred kilometers long and the crews will get from the bivouac in Shaybah to the dunes in the "Desolated Land". The grueling 274-kilometer special section will be full of sand, and it will be crucial to complete it without major technical problems. The crews will have to do without the help of assistance and mechanics and rely exclusively on themselves for two days.