The title holders in the cars protested against the change in performance in favor of Audi decided in the middle of the race.
Did Nasser Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel lose the Dakar 2023 of which they are title holders in cars? While they are installed at the top of the general classification, the two men pushed a rant against the modification of the regulations in favor of Audi. W2RC officials have indeed granted the prototypes of the T1.U category (four-wheel drive using renewable energies like Audi), a power surplus of 11 hp for greater fairness. A bonus that German cars can use from the fifth stage.
A decision that made Al-Attiyah and his co-pilot jump. The latter published on the networks the document confirming this modification of the regulations, signed by the International Automobile Federation and the management of the rally-raid. “QWhat a surprise to give our main rival 11 hp more! Please kill the race early“lamented the leader.
The attack also made the Audi clan react. Prologue winner Mattias Ekström responded to Baumel. “I didn’t expect you to do politics and write that stuff wrote the Swede, 8th overall, who added: “Perhaps we should all follow the agreements and calculation methods the teams made with the FIA before the race and trust them before making such statements. Let us race and let the FIA do its job. May the best team win.”