With each day, the French driver is confirming his capacity to join in the elite battle. He is now on the provisional podium of the Dakar, 26 minutes behind Stéphane Peterhansel.
“It was a complicated special and there were plenty of pitfalls to avoid. That was a day for my co-pilot Fabian, he did a crazily good job. We drove at a fast pace all day. We got stuck in the sand once and lost six minutes, but what’s six minutes when you can see that almost everyone else got lost behind us.
At the neutralised zone, we were in fourth. I think we’ve driven well today and our plan is progressing. The dunes were huge and broken up on the other side, so we gave ourselves a fright several times”.
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502 Viazovich Siarhei (blr), Haranin Pavel (blr), Zaparoshchanka Anton (blr), Maz, Maz-Sportauto, Camion, Truck, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Julien Delfosse / DPPI

509 Mardeev Airat (rus), Svistunov Dmitriy (rus), Galiautdinov Akhmet (rus), Kamaz, Kamaz - Master, Camion, Truck, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Julien Delfosse / DPPI

304 De Villiers Giniel (zaf), Haro Bravo Alex (esp), Toyota, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Julien Delfosse / DPPI

507 Sotnikov Dmitry (rus), Akhmadeev Ruslan (rus), Akhmatzianov Ilgiz (rus), Kamaz, Kamaz - Master, Camion, Truck, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI

311 Roma Nani (esp), Winocq Alexandre (fra), Hunter, Bahrain Raid Extreme, BRX, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI

306 Ten Brinke Bernhard (nld), Colsoul Tom (bel), Toyota, Overdrive Toyota, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Frédéric Le Floc’h / DPPI

02 Quintanilla Pablo (chl), Husqvarna, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Moto, Bike, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

326 Lavielle Christian (fra), Garcin Jean-Pierre (fra), Optimus, MD Rally Sport, Motul, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

305 Loeb Sebastien (fra), Elena Daniel (mco), Hunter, Bahrain Raid Xtreme, Auto, BRX, 59 Interno Tiziano (ita), Beta, Rally Pov, Original by Motul, Moto, Bike, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

303 Al Rajhi Yazeed (sau), Von Zitzewitz Dirk (deu), Toyota, Overdrive Toyota, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

300 Sainz Carlos (esp), Cruz Lucas (esp), Mini, X-Raid Mini JCW Team, Auto, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

159 Enrico Giovanni (chl), Yamaha, Enrico Racing Team, Quad, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

21 Sanders Daniel (aus), KTM, KTM Factory Team, Moto, Bike, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

11 Svitko Stefan (svk), KTM, Slovnaft Rally Team, Moto, Bike, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

04 Cornejo Florimo Jose Ignacio (chl), Honda, Monster Energy Honda Team 2021, Motul, Moto, Bike, action during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2021 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Wadi Al Dawasir, in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021 - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
By: Official Dakar website