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Dakar 2010: All Volkswagen again in the Top 10 after SS4.

January 5, 2010: All Volkswagen again in the Top 10: Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk achieved third place at the demanding crossing of the Andes on the fourth leg from Fiambalá to Copiapó with a gap of 2:26 minutes behind the stage winners Robby Gordon/Andy Grider in the Hummer and Stéphane Peterhansel from the X-raid team.

In the following places, Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz, Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford in the Race Touareg with TDI power completed Volkswagen’s successful stage. Maurício Neves/Clécio Maestrelli reached the stage destination for Volkswagen in eighth place. At an average speed of 95.15 km/h Al-Attiyah as the best Volkswagen driver was clearly faster than on the previous day’s stage, which featured lots of dunes and was run at a speed that, on average, was 35 km/h slower.

"It was a thrilling day which Robby Gordon finished as the surprise winner" said Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director). "All five Volkswagen vehicles reached the finish among the top eight cars. The five Race Touareg vehicles were running without the slightest technical problems. This means we´re fully on schedule. And we´re pleased to see that the Dakar Rally is such an exciting and open race."

After four of the 14 stages Stéphane Peterhansel continues ranking in front of the Volkswagen trio Carlos Sainz, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mark Miller while Maurício Neves is in tenth place.

2010/01/05 | 21:13 CET | Editor: MR/HS/VW