Schlesser to lose Paris Dakar lead over penalty?

Schlesser's stage win on the 19th and penultimate test of this year's desert enduro had put the Schlesser-Megane driver into the overall lead ahead of Hiroshi Masuoka.

But a penalty, which is pending appeal, could put the 52-year-old, who is attempting to win the rally for the third consecutive time, out of contention for victory. Masuoka also suffered problems and as a result German Jutta Kleinschmidt is set to take the overall lead in her Mitsubishi Pajero

The confusion arose when Schlesser and team mate Jose Maria Servia, who has also been penalised, arrived early at the start of the day's stage. Schlesser was not due to set off until two minutes after Masuoka, but because of his early arrival found himself in the way of the Japanese driver.

Masuoka then caught the pair of Schlesser Meganes, but had problems getting past and eventually hit a tree stump, damaging a rear wheel. The Mitsubishi man lost almost an hour, putting him out of contention for the lead.

Both Schlesser and Servia maintain their behaviour was not in anyway unsportsmanlike and will be appealing against the penalties.

Today's final stage of the gruelling two-week long event is a short special stage of only 25km. If Schlesser is made to keep his penalty of one hour, Kleinschmidit will be handed the overall lead by a margin of just 10 minutes.



1 SCHLESSER 69h46m53s 1h16m
2 KLEINSCHMIDT 70h22m51s 30m
3 MASUOKA 70h25m46s 30m
4 SERVIA 71h29m48s 22,m
5 SOUSA 72h31m42s 10m
6 FONTENAY 74h14m14s 12m
7 HENRARD 75h26m41s 30m
8 DE MEVIUS 76h51m17s 30m
9 DE LAVERGNE 77h49m37s 30m
10 BOURGNON 84h19m11s 18m