Motorcycle:
Monster Energy Honda Team’s Joan Barreda has taken the lead in the motorcycle category. With Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team and Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team right behind Honda, stage 3 is set to be very interesting.
Meanwhile, the opening stage of Dakar 2018 saw Hero MotoSports Team Rally rider CS Santosh finish the rally 13th overall in the motorcycle category. However there was disappointment too for the team. Joaquim ‘JRod’ Rodrigues had to be flown out of the race by helicopter due to a nasty crash over the high dunes. Adrien Metge (TVS) finished the first stage in 24th position, followed by his teammate Juan Pedrero Garcia. The only other Indian rider competing in Dakar 2018, Aravind KP (TVS), completed the first stage in 30th.
In the second stage, Sherco TVS faced some hurdles as Joan Pedrero had a breakdown just before the refueling point. Having to push the bike in sand cost him over ten minutes.
Auto:
Stage 2: In the more challenging 267 km section through the dunes of Pisco, Team Peugeot Total tasted success with the French manufacturer claiming the top three positions on the stage. Toyota driver Giniel de Villiers was best of the rest behind the three leading Peugeots, making Toyota Gazoo Racing SA third in the overall chart.
Truck:
Overall, the truck category saw Eduard Nikolaev, Evgeny Yakovlev and Vladimir Rybakov of KAMAZ – MASTER surge ahead. They were followed by Instaforex Loprais Team and YPF Infinia Diesel Team De Rooy.
Quad:
The quad category saw Ignacio Casale from Casale Racing top the charts overall till Stage 2. Behind him was Sergei Kariakin from Snag Racing Team and in the third position is Pablo Copetti from Mx Devesa By Berta.
Sxs:
After Stage 2, the Sxs category is led by Juan Carlos Uribe Ramos and Javier Uribe Godoy from CAN-AM PERU followed by teams South Racing – Can Am and Anibal Aliaga Peru.