2001 Paris-Dakar / Daily Report

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Nisseki Mitsubishi Ralliart
H. Masuoka / P. Maimon

Not only did Japanese driver Hiroshi Masuoka survive what was expected to be the toughest leg of this year’s Dakar, he also extended his lead on the 13th stage in Mauritania from just a few minutes to over half an hour in his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero.

Co-driven by Frenchman Pascal Maimon, the Mitsubishi driver blasted over the 513km stage, which dropped down through a desert cliff, wound it’s way along through camel grass-strewn desert, before climbing the infamous Nega Pass, in some style to win the leg by 19m 45s, increasing his overnight lead to 37m 25s.

The leg had been billed as "the" stage of the Dakar; the one that would cause the most upsets, looping around Tidjikja with its ancient palm groves. The competitors were faced with everything that Africa could offer in the way of tough terrain. The wind that had caused yesterday’s sand storms had eased, and the temperatures were more moderate than of late at 27 degrees Celsius, but it was still one of the most challenging stages ever. The competing crews had to drive for 100 km over stony tracks, before descending through a rocky pass, and then traverse a long, bumpy desert zone, before moving onto a treacherous area littered with huge clumps of camel grass. Finally, they had to negotiate the Nega Pass, one of the most difficult challenges in motorsport.

Mitsubishi L200
Team Mitsubishi Portugal
C. Sousa / J.M. Polato

Masuoka was hailed as a hero for his driving prowess on the day, but typically, the Japanese driver was more modest. He said: "Today I think was a very important day. Very long and bad for the suspension. The average speed was not so fast. Very steady. Now I am in front I am very happy. No punctures today. First I overtake Jutta, then Servia (who had a puncture), then Jean-Louis, then Jean-Pierre and then Carlos. It was narrow and twisty so each time I overtake I must go off-road. My car is very good and my co-pilot (Pascal) is brilliant. Tomorrow I start first car and I will attack again. I give 90% everytime. My mind is very good and I think only about winning. A win is possible now".

Buggy driver Jean-Louis Schlesser was also on a charge today, overtaking the Mitsubishis driven by German crew Jutta Kleinachmidt and Andreas Schulz, and Portuguese driver Carlos Sousa, who are now fourth and third respectivley.

Kleinschmidt, driving a Pajero/Montero commented: "It was a very, very hard day for us - but I think for everybody. A lot of camel grass. I didn’t want the tyre pressures too low in case we punctured. In the Nega Pass we got stuck on a big camel grass dune and afterwards we had a puncture. But after a hard day like today its just good to arrive".

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Mitsubishi Germany
J. Kleinschmidt / A. Schulz

Sousa also had problems in his L200, revealing: "Today was nice but very hard. I punctured 200km from the end and Schlesser passed me. 105km before the finnish I got a little lost. No problems with the car".

Further back, Japanese driver Kenjiro Shinozuka, co-driven by Britain’s Fred Gallagher, is still running in his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, but after earlier heavy time penalties, is out of the running for victory. He reported: "Quite a long day. Very bumpy. All the time bumpy. I thought Masuoka would like this road, but when I saw the time at the finish - woah! - he did a very good job. For us just steady driving today".

The worst may be over, but there are still two days of hard desert driving to go before the Dakar reaches the Sahel, where it will be harder for those behind to catch up, and whoever is leading could well be safe. It looks now that the race for victory may well be between Masuoka and Schlesser, although it is still possible for Kleinschmidt or Sousa to take the lead should the current leading pair falter.

Tomorrow should be easier with a short stage of just 230 km from Tidjikja to the ancient desert village of Tichit, once a staging post for the huge desert caravans that passed through the region, and now virtually a barren ghost town surrounded by huge dunes of white sand. The stage itself will be held mostly over easy desert tracks, which should pose no problems for the competitors proving a sand storm doesn’t blow up!

Leg 13 - Tidjikja - Tidjikja
SS 13 - 513.00 km - Sunday 14 January

Times on SS 13
1	H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	6.42.16.0
2	J.L.SCHLESSER H.MAGNE	SCHLESSER BUGGY RENAULT MEGANE	7.02.05.0	+19.49.0
3	C.SOUSA J.M.POLATO	MITSUBISHI L200 STRAKAR	7.21.09.0	+38.53.0
4	J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	7.22.41.0	+40.25.0
5	K.SHINOZUKA F.GALLAGHER	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	7.37.03.0	+54.47.0
6	S.HENRARD J.M.MARTINEZ	VOLKSWAGEN BUGGY	7.39.55.0	+57.39.0
7	T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS	NISSAN TERRANO	7.44.30.0	+1.02.14.0
8	J.M.SERVIA J.M.LURQUIN	SCHLESSER BUGGY RENAULT MEGANE	7.51.59.0	+1.09.43.0
9	J.P.FONTENAY G.PICARD	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	8.21.15.0	+1.38.59.0
10	J.F.GUINOT M.KROISS	NISSAN TERRANO	8.40.03.0	+1.57.47.0
11	G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC	NISSAN TERRANO	8.51.50.0	+2.09.34.0
12	L.BOURGNON G.LENEVEU	NISSAN TERRANO	8.56.15.0	+2.13.59.0
14	H.PESCAROLO S.DE LIEDEKERKE	NISSAN TERRANO	9.02.36.0	+2.20.20.0
15	T.MAGNALDI F.BORSOTTO	MERCEDES ML 430	9.13.07.0	+2.30.51.0
18	S.PETERHANSEL W.ALCARAZ	NISSAN TERRANO	9.32.36.0	+2.50.20.0

Overall after SS 13
1	H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	48.29.11.0
2	J.L.SCHLESSER H.MAGNE	SCHLESSER BUGGY RENAULT MEGANE	49.06.36.0	+37.25.0
3	C.SOUSA J.M.POLATO	MITSUBISHI L200 STRAKAR	49.11.32.0	+42.21.0
4	J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	49.18.25.0	+49.14.0
5	J.M.SERVIA J.M.LURQUIN	SCHLESSER BUGGY RENAULT MEGANE	50.26.17.0	+1.57.06.0
6	J.P.FONTENAY G.PICARD	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	51.45.53.0	+3.16.42.0
7	T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS	NISSAN TERRANO	52.17.40.0	+3.48.29.0
8	S.HENRARD J.M.MARTINEZ	VOLKSWAGEN BUGGY	52.46.41.0	+4.17.30.0
9	G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC	NISSAN TERRANO	54.47.04.0	+6.17.53.0
10	S.PETERHANSEL W.ALCARAZ	NISSAN TERRANO	58.52.33.0	+10.23.22.0
11	L.BOURGNON G.LENEVEU	NISSAN TERRANO	59.38.34.0	+11.09.23.0
12	J.F.GUINOT M.KROISS	NISSAN TERRANO	60.14.05.0	+11.44.54.0
13	T.MAGNALDI F.BORSOTTO	MERCEDES ML 430	61.53.56.0	+13.24.45.0
15	H.PESCAROLO S.DE LIEDEKERKE	NISSAN TERRANO	62.11.19.0	+13.42.08.0
32	K.SHINOZUKA F.GALLAGHER	MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO	83.30.52.0	+35.01.41.0