Dakar Rally, the longest rally-raid event in the world, with nearly 8,000 km of race through the dunes and rocks of Saudi Arabia, divided into 12 stages, has ended abruptly and too son for defending champions Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz, who won it in 2024, 2020 and 2018. During the 48 hour stage, the car flipped over as they exited a dune.
Although the Spaniards didn't suffer any serious damage, the car was smashed. They were able to flip it over again and end the race, driving almost 600 kilometres (from nearly 1,000 km in the two-day marathon race) with the doors broken and no windscreen. They were seen using their hands to block the sun.
They finished the stage over 90 minutes later than the winner, realising they had virtually no chances of winning the rally. But now, they won't even be able to finish it, as FIA has deemed the Ford Raptor irreparable. While it still works, it poses a serious danger to their own safety, because the roll cage was bent, something "very easy to repair, but unfortunately FIA regulations don't allow it", lamented the 62-year old driver (father of the Formula 1 driver).
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