The 2024 Dakar Rally has reached the midway mark after the top of the gruelling 48 Hour Chrono stage. Indian rider Harith Noah made some large positive aspects on this stage and has damaged into the highest 15 for the primary time.

Unfortunately, the stage additionally marked the top of Hero MotoSports rider Joan Barreda Bort’s Dakar 2024 marketing campaign, with the Spanish rider out because of mechanical points. The Indian squad now solely has one rider within the operating – Ross Branch, who’s at the moment second total.

1. Branch simply 51 secs behind chief Brabec
2. Noah P13 total
3. Loeb wins Stage 6, whereas Al-Attiyah drops down order

Harith Noah breaks into Dakar high 15

Stage 6 marked the debut of the brand new 48H chrono stage, which required opponents to cowl over 600km throughout two days. They had till 4pm on the primary day to cowl as a lot floor as potential earlier than stopping on the closest break zone. Competitors then set off at 7am subsequent day to finish the remainder of the stage.

It’s been a difficult first half of the Dakar Rally for Harith Noah, however he’s heading in the right direction to document his best-ever Dakar end. He set the twelfth greatest time in Stage 6 to leapfrog to thirteenth place within the total rating.

Noah’s twentieth place end result in 2021 was the all-time rating achieved by an Indian at Dakar. Despite spending most of final 12 months recovering from two main accidents, Noah not too long ago advised Autocar India that he was aiming for a high 15 end this time round.

Branch, Hero MotoSports P2 total

It was a stage of combined fortunes for the 2 Hero MotoSports riders. Joan Barreda Bort encountered mechanical points along with his bike, 529km into the stage, and was unable to achieve the end line. This spells the top of his Dakar 2024 run since Rally GP opponents usually are not allowed to proceed the rally in the event that they don’t end a stage.

But the Hero camp nonetheless has causes to have a good time. Ross Branch efficiently accomplished the stage in fifth place. Although he’s misplaced the general result in Honda’s Ricky Brabec, he’s solely 51secs adrift in second place.

Sainz takes Dakar 2024 cars lead

Reigning Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah tumbled down the order after his Prodrive Hunter racer got here to a halt because of a damaged steering arm. He needed to watch for his staff’s help truck to reach so as to restore the injury. While he did ultimately end the stage, he’s dropped to seventeenth place total.

Audi now maintain the highest two spots, with Carlos Sainz within the lead, round 20 minutes forward of his teammate Mattias Ekstrom. Nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb set the quickest time in Stage 6, to maneuver as much as third place total.

Also see:

Dakar 2024: Hero’s Ross Branch reclaims lead after Stage 5

‘15 is a nice number’: Harith Noah’s Dakar 2024 targets