Toyota’s Quintero awarded Dakar Stage 1 win after helping stranded Sanz

Toyota driver Seth Quintero has been promoted to first place in Saturday’s opening stage of the Dakar Rally after he stopped to help a stranded Laia Sanz.

Quintero was originally classified as runner-up in the 413km test in Bisha, 50s down on provisional winner Guerlain Chicherit of X-raid Mini, after a late shuffle in positions at the front of the order.

But, a few hours after the entire field had reached the bivouac, Quintero was awarded 95s in lieu of the time he lost while assisting Sanz and her co-driver Maurizio Gerini after they crashed during the stage.

The added time moves Quintero to the head of the order in the Ultimate category, 45s clear of Chicherit’s Mini.

This was the American’s first stage win in the top class of Dakar, having stepped up to the category for the first time in 2024 after three previous appearances in the Challenger division.

“I have news, it’s what we wanted,” said Quintero. “It was a fun day, we started 26th, a lot of dust, it was a lot of fun, it was awesome.

#223 Century Racing Factory Team Century: Laia Sanz, Maurizio Gerini

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“We had like nine cars ahead of us, but we got the job done, we won the first stage, but there’s 13 more to go, we’re still going, and it feels good after making up positions.”

The Century CR6 driven by Sanz rolled over 330km into Saturday’s opening test, leaving her and Gerini stranded in the desert of Saudi Arabia.

Quintero later arrived on the scene and provided assistance to the duo and the gesture was recognised by rally’s joining organisers ASO and the FIA.

Explaining the accident, Sanz, a veteran of 15 Dakar appearances, said: “It’s a shame to start the Dakar like this. We lost third gear at kilometre 20, but we were getting through the day well, going slowly.

“Then, in the dust, all the navigation instruments stopped working, so we decided to take it easy to finish the stage, and 70 km from the end, we hit a rock that we didn’t see because of the dust and we rolled over.

“Now we are trying to repair it, but we have to wait for the assistance truck. I’m very sad, because we were going very well, even though things had happened to us today.

“It’s very annoying to have had such bad luck when we were going well and I thought it could be a good year. Now we have to fight to finish and see if we can start tomorrow.”