P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sainz expects to "suffer a lot" at start of Dakar Rally
Audi driver Sainz finished in 48th place in the 27km stretch in Al-’Ul on Friday, losing 2m18s to his teammate Ekstrom. This means he will start the rally on Saturday in the middle of the pack and will have to pass slower cars before having a clear track. Sainz admitted that his strategy for the Prologue didn’t go as planned, as he got lost in the sand and conceded a large amount of time. He expressed concerns about the poor starting position and the difficulties it may cause during the first test. Despite this setback, Sainz remains optimistic and believes he can recover lost ground in the upcoming stages. Meanwhile, Sainz’s former teammate Sebastien Loeb had a clean start to the rally-raid and finished just 38 seconds behind Ekstrom in third place. Loeb expressed satisfaction with the stage and noted the challenges of navigation. He is hopeful for a good position in the overall standings.
