A deserving one. Great for El Matador. Fautless run for all the rally. I was rooting for Toyota team, shame that they didn't win, nonetheless double podium is a great result. Bad luck for Loeb, who had to retire after Daniel Elena's injury.
With Peugeot gone from Dakar since 2019, Toyota looks like a main contender for the win next year.
Second half of the rally shocked me a bit. I thought, that after desert stages in Peru it all looks all decided, but it's the second part, which turned around everything. Peterhansel lost lead, and then podium, ten Brinke retired on the penultimate stage (what a drama).
Terrible rally for whole X-Raid team. New RWD Mini-Buggy proved to be uncompetitive. Hirvonen was running pretty down the order for the whole rally - disappointment of the rally by far. Roma retired too early, Terranova also wasn't in contention for high places. Thankfully, my nationmate Kuba Przygonski saved the honor for Mini - fifth place. Well done!
This year's Dakar was much better than 2017's edition. Desert stages returned finally to Dakar Rally, and it all looked much more sensible.
RE: ADSactly Sports - Carlos Sainz sr won Dakar Rally 2018