As tranquillity returns to the country lanes and desert regions of Argentina and Chile, the VW team are heading home from the Dakar Rally with the biggest smiles.
Volkswagen’s Race Touareg swept the board in the car class as three crews cluttered up the podium places in Buenos Aires. The winning crew of Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz were chased over the line by their stablemates Nasser Al-Attiyah and his co-pilot Timo Gottschalk in second, and Mark Miller and Dirk von Zitzewitz in third.
Volkswagen’s Director of Motorsport Kris Nissen had some tough choices to make in the final week of the Dakar. With three of his crews in a position to win the race, he held off with the team orders and left the race open right down to the final stage.
“The drivers fought amongst themselves for victory all the way to the chequered flag, always racing hard and always racing fair,” Nissen commented. “This is exactly how we imagine motorsport to be. My congratulations therefore go to every Volkswagen duo –they would all have been worthy winners.’
'Everything ran perfectly for me' – Carlos Sainz
After leading the 2009 Dakar only to crash out on stage 12, Carlos Sainz was happy to exorcise the ghosts of last year’s race.
“I have fulfilled a dream by winning the Dakar. An enormous weight has fallen from my shoulders, particularly as the fight for victory was extremely hard, both physically hard and enormously exhausting mentally,” said the victor. “I’m incredibly happy to have achieved this goal after having been so close to victory on several occasions.
“Everything ran perfectly for me. My co-driver Lucas Cruz did an excellent job, from the technical side the Race Touareg ran like clockwork, and the entire Volkswagen squad worked tirelessly for the win.”
Despite having to settle for second place overall, Nasser Al-Attiyah won friends wherever he went with the Dakar. The multi-talented Qatari always had a smile and time for anyone during the race.
'Carlos Sainz is a worthy winner and a real champion' – Nasser Al-Attiyah
“On the one hand, it goes without saying that it’s tough to have just missed winning the Dakar. However, on the other hand, I got the chance with Volkswagen to live my Dakar dream all the way to the finish line, for which I am thankful,” Al-Attiyah said. “I feel completely at home in this team and look forward to every day with the squad.
“Carlos Sainz is a worthy winner and a real champion. Second place behind him is a fantastic result. Now I’m looking forward to challenge him at the forthcoming Dakar.”
For more results, had to www.dakar.com
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