Photo: MINI
The successful run in the 2015 Dakar Rally for the MINI teams continued in the fourth stage as two cars wearing the winged badge managed to cross the finish line first. It was a win for Nasser Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel that also managed to extend their lead to 8 minutes and 15 seconds overall.
In second place came the current champion, Joan ‘Nani’ Roma and his co-driver Michel Perin. The veterans managed to get back in the game after they experienced mechanical issues in the first stage of the rally. This finish allowed them to move up no less than 11 places overall, now sitting in 44th.
This stage was not easier than the rest of them, mind you. Starting at 3,000 meters altitude in the Andes mountains, the drivers had to master twisty, challenging mountain roads before crossing the border into Chile. All of this while man-handling 2 ton cars at mind-boggling speeds.
After entering into Chile, the cars went down to the finish line located in the town of Copiapo that’s just 1,000 meters above sea level.
Today, the new stage will take drivers through the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth, from Copiapo to Antofagasta. The 458 km (284 miles) long stage will mainly be characterized by very fine sand (called fesh fesh), as well as gravel and a lot of massive stones covered with desert sand.
This stage was not easier than the rest of them, mind you. Starting at 3,000 meters altitude in the Andes mountains, the drivers had to master twisty, challenging mountain roads before crossing the border into Chile. All of this while man-handling 2 ton cars at mind-boggling speeds.
After entering into Chile, the cars went down to the finish line located in the town of Copiapo that’s just 1,000 meters above sea level.
Today, the new stage will take drivers through the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth, from Copiapo to Antofagasta. The 458 km (284 miles) long stage will mainly be characterized by very fine sand (called fesh fesh), as well as gravel and a lot of massive stones covered with desert sand.
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