Defending champion Hiroshi Masuoka admitted on Sunday that the decision to cancel two stages of the Dakar Rally has killed off his outside hopes of winning a third successive title.
Stages 10 and 11, due to be run on Saturday and Sunday and compromising 800km of competitive action, were called off due to reports of armed gangs operating in the border areas.
Now only six stages remain before next Sunday’s finish in Dakar, and Masuoka admitted that there will not be enough time to catch leader and Mitsubishi teammate Stephane Peterhansel.
”I don’t think it was a good decision to cancel the stages,” said the Japanese driver whose Friday stage win between Mopti and Bobo-Dioulasso still left him 64 minutes behind the Frenchman.
”I wanted to continue all the way through Mopti and on to Bobo. Instead we have to drive a liaison section of 927km. That is much too long.
”I think it will be very difficult to win. One hour is a long time behind Stephane. I think we must keep second place for now.”
The Japanese driver also said that he is entering his least favourite phase of the gruelling event, which resumes on Tuesday.
”There are too many people on the tracks. There are animals, hidden dangers and sometimes we are travelling at high speeds. This is where concentration is so important.”
Peterhansel, bidding to become only the second competitor to win the race on four wheels as well as two, recognised that it is a two-way fight for the title between him and Masuoka.
”Between Hiroshi and me there is only one hour difference and I am sure that he will push at the maximum over the next couple of days,” said the Frenchman.
”I will try to keep at the same pace, but it is possible that we could both have problems. It is never easy to know what the speed of your teammate can be.
”If I start second on a stage I do not know what speed Hiroshi is driving at and I have to push a little just to make sure that he is not too far ahead. It is not easy. That is when mistakes or problems can happen.” — Sapa-AFP