Dakar 2019 by BFGoodrich®… Week 1 already done and dusted!
Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel have won two stages (1 and 4) for Toyota Gazoo Racing, while Stéphane Peterhansel/David Castera were fastest on Day 3 in their Mini X Raid and Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena topped the order on Stages 2 and 5 in their PH Sport-run Peugeot 3008 DKR.
Days 4 and 5 turned out to be the most gruelling to date and were combined to form a so-called Marathon leg, with overnight servicing prohibited. The fine ‘fesh fesh’ sand thrown up by competitors impaired visibility and the vehicles’ tires had to contend with big rocks.
A number of crews dropped time after losing their way, but all the BFGoodrich®-equipped runners acclaimed the traction, ability to surf over soft ground and outstanding handling performance of their All Terrain KDR2+ and Mud Terrain KM3 tires, even when running with pressures as low as 0.1 bar.
The all-lady crew of the N°385 BFGoodrich® KM3 UTV-shod Can Am is continuing to learn fast on their first attempt at the Dakar. "We’re amazed by the agility and strength of our BFGoodrich® tires," enthused Annett Fischer.
The mid-event rest day gave competitors a welcome chance to regather strength, while Christian Lavieille took time to test new white stickers on the sidewalls of his Toyota Auto Body’s KM3 tires!
Sadly, our GoodProject winner Sergio Samaniego was unable to start the event due to technical issues with his vehicle.
With the first half of the rally completed, more than 1,000 tires have been fitted at the BFGoodrich® Dakar Service Center, including 550 in the course of Days 4 and 5 alone.
Thirty BFGoodrich® VIP guests – chiefly dealers from around the world – were able to enjoy the facilities of the brand’s hospitality area, as were other customers, including representatives of PetroPeru and Toyota Hilux.
Nasser Al-Attiyah tops the provisional standings ahead of Week 2, chased by Stéphane Peterhansel and Nani Roma. They know it’s going to be another punishing five days of action, not only for them but also for their cars and tires as they prepare to bite still more dust, out of passion and in their respective bids for victory!
