Carlos Sainz takes 2020 Dakar Rally lead, Mini dominates again

X-raid Mini driver Carlos Sainz has taken the lead of the 2020 Dakar Rally after topping the third stage on Tuesday.

Sainz became the third different Mini driver to win a stage of the Saudi Arabia-based event, as he set the pace over the 427km loop around Neom in his buggy.

His final winning margin on the day was three minutes and 31 seconds over reigning champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, and he heads the Toyota driver by five minutes in the overall classification.

Stephane Peterhansel, who drives the other X-raid buggy, matched Sainz for pace for much of the stage, only to lose 10 minutes in the final stretch.

That meant Yakub Przygonski and privateer Yasir Seaidan completed the top four on the day in a pair of four-wheel-drive Minis.

Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, who had lost over two hours to repairs on Monday, was fifth-fastest as he finished the stage just six minutes slower than Sainz.

Overnight leader Orlando Terranova lost 13 minutes to Sainz but remains within the top three overall, and has over 10 minutes in hand to Toyota driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Peterhansel.

Mathieu Serradori, who drives a Century CR6 buggy, gave up 20 minutes but remains an impressive sixth and is marginally ahead of Monday stage winner Giniel de Villiers (Toyota).

Former World Rally Championship regular Khalid Al Qassimi, who had entered the day in seventh place, demolished his privateer Peugeot in a roll 300 kilometres into the stage and exited the marathon.

Also dropping out was returnee Vladimir Vasilyev, who looked on course to enter the top 10 in the general classification before his X-raid Mini caught fire.

Leading stage three times

Overall leading times