Daniel Sanders, GasGas, and Nasser Al Attiyah, Toyota Gazoo, firmly in the lead with one day to go. The Australian is fourth in the Special won by Toby Price, the Prince of Qatar wins and extends. Well Lucci and Amos
April 28, 2023
Puerto PenascoMexico, April 28. Sonora Rally 2023, one stage to go. Penultimate day of the race, perhaps even further ahead since the last scheduled, at a time of saint Louisis shorter, therefore probably not very influential. So the games seem to be donecon Daniel SandersGasGas, great protagonist of the Moto Race and Nasser Al Attiyah, Gazoo Racing, ready to add the first extra-Dakar victory to the 2023 chapter of its palmares. Meanwhile, the penultimate day of the Rally was long, suffocating. 250 kilometers of special stage plus nearly as many transfers. Hot air, pleasant, Latin, Mexican atmosphere. A road book errora wrong note at Km 76.84, leads to several corrections of the rankings.
“Only” fourth in the penultimate timed fraction, Daniel Sanders proves that he is now perfectly under control the 2023 edition of the Sonora Rally 2023 of Motorcycles. The advantage of the Australian official GasGas is such that the “strategy” becomes obvious: leave a day “free” to the opponents and reserve the right to control the race up to the finish line. To win his first Stage in this Rally is the compatriot Toby PriceKTM, first on the finish line in Puerto Penasco ahead of the “usual” Tosha ShareinaMoreHonda, which opened the track for most of the Special, and the consistent Luciajo Benavides, Husqvarna. As mentioned, Sanders is fourth ahead of Walkner and Brabec, but gives the winner less than 2 minutes. Paolo Lucci’s race was excellentfinally “on track” with a twelfth place overall, and continues the “streak” of Massimo Camurri, for the fourth consecutive time winner in Rally3. The fourth and penultimate stage does not have great effects on the general. Sanders remains an almost unchallenged leader, with an advantage of just under 6 minutes over Shareina and over 14 over Luciano Benavides. Out of the game, now, all the others.
Instead, it remains the race of the Cars was rather balanced. But it does not deprive, even on the penultimate day, of twists. This time to “suffer it” is Guerlain ChicheritProdrive Hunter. The former Freestyle World Champion looked set to win the Special Stage and, with that win, leapfrog Yazeed al Rajhi, Toyota Overdrive, in the overall standings to move up to second place behind Nasser Al Attiyah, Toyota Gazoo Racing. Just beyond KM 150, however, the French were forced to stop for a breakdown and, after half an hour of unsuccessful attempts, it was time to call for assistance, and then surrender. Meanwhile Al Attiyah he had decided that the best way to check his leadership was to attack and go on to win, significantly ahead of Al Rajhi and the surprising Brazilian Marco Baumgart, making his debut in the World Championship with a Prodrive Hunter. Thus, one day after the end of the Rally, the situation returned completely under the control of the Prince of Qatar. Al Attyah e Baumelin fact, now have more than 7 minutes lead on Al Rajhi e Gottschalk and nearly 13 on the couple Halpern Gray, Mini X-raid. sure, easy life for Al Attiyah, after the spectacular retirement of Sébastien Loeb! The penultimate stage coincides with the new good performance of Eugenio Amos and Pasolo Ceci, in turn rookies at the controls of the Hilux Overdrive with which they set out to race at the next Dakar. Back but tenacious, Rebecca BusiCan-Am FN Speed Team, racing with French navigator Delaunay.
Paolo Ceci, Eugenio Amos, Toyota Hilux Overdrive. “Improved yet. Today we are ninth at the finish line, with an excellent result. However, we should have exceeded two speed limits and we will be penalized. The important thing is that day after day we see that the pace improves. Eugenio is becoming increasingly familiar with the Machine. Today he decided to change some settings and he felt more happy than him. so all very positive, even if we recognize that we are still on an apprenticeship path. Well done, one stage at the end, 130 kilometers of Speciale. We will give our best tomorrow too!”
Paolo Lucci. KTM Rally2. “In real time at the arrival of the Special while I wait for the guys from Team BAS. Today went better, let’s say good. There was a pretty tough stage, the first part very navigated, many oueds, then a few dunes, few to tell the truth, we expected more. Then again broken tracks. I’m happy, twelfth overall. I have yet to find some confidence in the bike on the ugliest tracks. I don’t know if it’s my fault or the bike, I feel it go behind. Probably just a matter of adjustments. All smooth, however, we await the outcome of the last stage.”
Massimo Camurri. Husqvarna Rally3. “Everything went well today, he went smoothly, no serious mistakes. After yesterday’s crash in the dunes I was a little worried, but today I managed to overcome them without any problems.
This morning the citizens of Caborca welcomed us by the hundreds right at the start of the special, it was very exciting! The special was very fast, with a very scenic beach sector as well. In general, we struggle a little more on the fast stretches with the rally3 bikes, but I still managed to go well.”
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