VW's EL Matador Carlos SAINZ - DAKAR Leader thru Stage 13 CRASHES OUT OF Race
January 15, 2009: The leader of the general standings, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) is said to have careered into a ravine after 79 km of the day’s special stage. It appears that his co-pilot, Frenchman Michel has received a shoulder injury and has been evacuated to the bivouac for medical attention... This would mean withdrawal from the race for the Spaniard, who has won 6 special stages out of the 10 already completed.
The Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and his French co-pilot Michel Perin have just arrived by helicopter at the bivouac in Fiambala, thus confirming the withdrawal of Volkswagen Race Touareg No. 301, leader of the general standings until the start of the 12th stage this morning.
Sainz Navigator, Michel Périn, commented after his flight from the crash site to the Dakar mobile headquarters said, "We had made a small mistake in the first part. We took the wrong direction at a Y crossing but it was not too bad because we did end up on the right trail. We were tailing Giniel De Villiers who had started about 10’ after us so it was still sort of OK. Then there was a hidden waypoint with a wadi indicated as ’danger’. But it should have been indicated as ’extremely dangerous’. By the way, the car behind us, Nani Roma’s car, would have fallen in the same hole as we did if we had not been there already. I’m ok; I just have something broken in my arm, but I’m alright."
Teammate and fellow racer, Mark Miller commented, " I can tell you that this was a very demanding stage. I cannot even imagine how the amateurs will make it to the finish today. It was not just difficult, navigation was almost impossible. It was a long series of horror situations from start to finish. These were the longest 200km in my life. It’s not good news to know that Carlos had to withdraw. He has an important place in the team. We got ’tanked’ three times. The sun and the sand were so bright that I would not see anything. I thing it was the toughest stage I ever drove in my life."
