McRae makes Dakar deadline

McRae had spent three days and two nights in the Mauritanian desert due to transmission problems, but fears that he and Nissan team-mate Ari Vatanen, who was also stranded in the sands, might be attacked by bandits were allayed due to the presence of local soldiers.

"After everything that happened, I must admit that I never doubted for a minute [that I would continue]," said McRae. "I remained confident throughout, especially after it was announced that the two stages had been neutralised. Then when the assistance truck arrived, I understood that everything was still possible. It is thanks to them that we are still here. The Dakar is a really special race, everything can change from one moment to the next, and the smallest of mechanical problems can have irreversible consequences.

"Tina [Thorner, his co-driver] and I therefore spent two nights and two days with Ari and Juha [Repo, Vatanen's co-driver]. The time did seem rather long, because waiting in those conditions is relatively difficult. But Ari, as always, kept the conversation going, most especially concerning politics. He is very talkative, and inexhaustible on that subject... We also had the company of some Mauritanian soldiers, who stayed with us throughout. We were never in danger, not for one moment.

"We did not lack water or food," he added. "I am now going to rest, to get some hours of sleep before setting off again tomorrow morning. I want to make the most of the remaining stages. We can aim for a stage victory, but it will not be easy, as we will be starting a long way back. I must admit that I have a real love-hate relationship with this race, and now I understand better everything that I was told. But the Dakar has not managed to get rid of me, I am still here and ready to get underway again"

Tuesday's stage, from Bobo-Dioulasso to Bamako, will feature a welcome change of terrain for McRae, as the desert sands give way to the tropical forest tracks of Banfora.