Defender Rally Extends Stock Class Dominance In Stage 9
defender rally stephane peterhansel 500 stage9 credit matteogebbia edophoto 1
Defender Rally continued its run of good manners and filthy speed in Stage 9 of the Dakar when its Stock class crew claimed the top time. The pair covered the 410 km stage in 04:36:24, a result that kept them in front of the Stock rankings and marked their fourth stage victory, while extending Defender Rally’s impressive sequence of stage wins.
An American crew arrived roughly 30 minutes later, posting a time of 05:06:03, slotting in behind the leaders but well ahead of most of the field.
A notable outfit finished fifth, clocking 05:21:36 after an early front suspension problem. The fault was sorted at the pitstop and they were able to continue, if a little chastened.
Stage Terrain And Marathon Rules
Stage 9 was the opening half of the second marathon of this year’s rally, which means the organisers decided everyone should suffer a little more. The route was a mixed bag of frequent rocky sections and tough tracks, with a final 30 km of sand dunes to finish. Crews will sleep in the desert tonight, as is the custom in a marathon stage, with no team assistance permitted until the next morning.
Team Reaction And What Comes Next
The team principal said the past couple of days have been demanding and that a marathon stage only adds pressure and complexity. He was relieved that all three cars and crews made it safely into the refuge bivouac and pleased with the top crew’s performance. As required by marathon rules, the crews will not return to base tonight; the team will see them after tomorrow’s stage.
Stage 10 starts on Wednesday 14 January and brings the final day of this particular marathon, where machines and men will once again be measured in grit and grit alone.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
