Carlos Sainz entered the legend of the Dakar rally a little further this Friday.
After 2010, 2018 and 2020, the 61-year-old Spaniard won his fourth car title, at the end of the 12th and final stage in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
Thanks to this performance, “El Matador” becomes the oldest winner of a Dakar.
In the lead since the end of the 6th stage, the Madrid-born driver managed his lead throughout the second week thanks to his teammates at Audi, the Swede Mattias Ekström and the Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel.
In the ranking, he is ahead of the Guillaume de Mevius-Xavier Panseri doublet.
The Sébastien Loeb-Fabian Lurquin pair, victim of a major technical problem on the penultimate stage, finished third.
With this new coronation, Carlos Sainz climbs onto the podium of the most successful drivers in the legendary race.
He thus joins Ari Vatanen and is only ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah (5 victories) and Stéphane Peterhansel (8 victories).
His victory, however, is a first for Audi, his team.