Dakar Rally 2017: Loeb assumes lead of car class by slim margin

While Nasser Al-Attiyah and the Toyota Hilux remained at the sharp end of the Dakar Rally on yesterday's second stage, Peugeot's Sebastien Loeb climbed up the overall standings to assume the lead of the car category by just 28 seconds over the Qatari.

The former nine-time world rally champion powered through the 275km of timed section - part of a total distance that went from Resistencia to San Miguel de Tucuman - that tested the drivers far more than the opening day's 39km, which was essentially a shakedown. Former Dakar Rally winner Carlos Sainz is third, a minute behind Loeb to make it two Peugeot 3008 DKRs in the top three. Giniel De Villiers and Nani Roma are fourth and fifth for Toyota.

The highest placed X-Raid Mini is Yazeed Al Rajhi with last year's car class winner Stephane Peterhansel behind him for Peugeot.

Al-Attiyah, despite losing the overall lead remains confident of wresting it back from Loeb once the rally hits far more sandy, desert conditions as the long straights and fast corners played into the hands of the Peugeot more as well as Loeb's skill-set that saw him win nine consecutive WRC titles.

Today's stage will go from San Miguel de Tucuman to San Salvador de Jujuy and will cover a total distance of 780km with 364km being timed.

Provisional General Classification

1. Sebastien Loeb (Peugeot) 2hrs 33min. 31sec.
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) 2:33:59
3. Carlos Sainz (Peugeot) 2:35:27
4. Giniel De Villiers (Toyota) 2:35:36
5. Nani Roma (Toyota) 2:36:27
6. Yazeed Al Rajhi (Mini) 2:38:43
7. Stephane Peterhansel (Peugeot) 2:40:57
8. Mikko Hirvonen (Mini) 2:42:20
9. Erik Van Loon (Toyota) 2:43:07
10. Romain Dumas (Peugeot) 2:43:29