Paris-Dakar: Schlesser maintains lead
Jose Maria Servia was fastest in today's (Friday) Er Rachidia-Ouarzazate stage, the first of the Paris-Dakar's infamous sand dune stages. But the Spaniard couldn't improve his overall position and the lead of the rally stays with Servia's team mate Jean-Louis Schlesser
Frenchman Schlesser was second over the 333km timed stage in the Moroccan desert, two minutes behind Servia, but the former F1 driver maintains a four-minute lead over the Mitsubishi of compatriot Jean-Pierre Fontenay.
Thierry de Lavergne was happy to maintain his position as highest placed Nissan in fourth: "Obviously I am pleased with my position over the opening sections," he said. "For me it is a case now of drive safely and preserve the car. We all know that the rally will probably be decided through the deserts in Mauritania."
Jutta Kleinschmidt kept up her good form, finishing today's stage in seventh to leave her in seventh overall. Meanwhile, former alpine skier Luc Alphand may have preferred skis to his Schlesser buggy on the Moroccan dunes. The Frenchman finished today's stage in 12th, more than 17 minutes behind Servia, but still he stays in the top 10.
Saturday holds the penultimate stage in Morocco - 608km from Ouarzazate to Goulimine, including a 305km timed stage - before the rally heads into Mauritania on Monday.
1 JL Schlesser, Schlesser, 5h23m50s
2 JP Fontenay, Mitsubishi, 5h28m04s
3 JM Servia, Schlesser, 5h29m05s
4 T De Lavergne, Nissan, 5h34m42s
5 H Masuoka, Mitsubishi, 5h38m11s
6 C Sousa, Nissan, 5h38m12s
7 J Kleinschmidt, Mitsubishi, 5h38m33s
8 K Shinozuka, Mitsubishi 5h45m25s
9 G Marcy, Toyota, 5h46m21s
10 L Alphand, Schlesser, 5h55m01s
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