Report on the 2020 Dakar Rally - 1 (Stage1,2) The 2020 Dakar Rally begins!

Rough Start but Expectations Run High

The 2020 Dakar Rally has officially kicked off! TOYOTA GAZOO Racing teams were off to a great start, but terrain turned rocky near the end of Stage 1, with all the Toyota Hilux’s suffering tire punctures. Nevertheless, in car #300, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Matthieu Baumel made an impressive run, coming in 4th place just ahead of driver Bernhard Ten Brinke and co-driver Tom Colsoul in car #307, who secured 5th place. Teammates #310 Fernando Alonso and teammates #304 Giniel de Villiers were hoping for a better run, placing 11th and 14th respectively.

The second day, however, was momentous for Giniel de Villiers, who made a roaring comeback, placing first in Stage 2 and becoming the first in the history of Dakar to win specials on three different continents. #300 wasn’t far behind, securing 5th place; and #307 made a respectable run, taking 15th. However, fate wasn’t so forgiving to Fernando Alonso and co-driver Marc Coma: due to an unfortunate accident the team suffered heavy damage to both their vehicle’s tires and suspension. Repairs costs them two and a half hours and forced them to 63rd position by the time they had crossed the finish line.

As a result, the overall rankings after stage 2 are as follows: #300 is in 3rd, #304 in 6th, #307 in 10th and #310 in 47th

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