Sabha, Jan 10: Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka won the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally on Thursday (January 9) to move within seven minutes of overall leader and Mitsubishi team mate Stephane Peterhansel in the overall standings. The day was marred by an accident which left 1997 winner Kenjiro Shinozuka, himself a Mitsubishi driver for 31 years until last June, in a coma and fighting for his life. The 54-year-old, Japan's most distinguished rally driver, and his French co-driver Thierry Delli-Zotti were both seriously hurt when their Nissan pick-up went over a sand dune halfway through the 727-km stage between Ghat and Sabha in Libya.
Shinozuka, who won the event in 1997 and with Delli-Zotti finished third last year, had been in third place overall after Wednesday's seventh stage, in which he finished eighth. Defending champion Masuoka completed the 727-km stage between Ghat and Sabha in three hours 57 minutes 27 seconds -- five minutes, 42 seconds ahead of Frenchman Peterhansel.

Another French Mitsubishi driver, Jean-Pierre Fontenay, was third a further 10 minutes behind Peterhansel, who retained his overall lead in the rally by six minutes 39 seconds from Masuoka.


On the motorbikes, Frenchman Richard Sainct lost his overall lead after he only managed to finish seventh on Thursday's stage.


Giovanni Sala, the winner for the last two years, finished first but it was his fellow Italian Fabrizio Meoni who topped the overall standings after finishing sixth.


Cars: 1. Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) Mitsubishi Sports three hours 57 mins 42 secs 2. Stephane Peterhansel (France) Mitsubishi Sports 4:03.24 3. Jean-Pierre Fontenay (France) Mitsubishi Sports 4:13.09 4. Gregoire De Mevius (Belgium) BMW 4:14.58 5. Ginie De Villiers (South Africa) Nissan 4:16.44 6. Jutta Kleinschmidt (Germany) Volkswagen 2:23:41


Leading overall standings: 1. Masuoka 13:55.42 2. Peterhansel 13:59.24 3. De Villiers 14:18.44 4. Fontenay 14:19.09 5. Kleinschmidt 14:27.41 6. De Mevius 14:30.58


Motorbikes (all KTM): 1. Giovanni Sala (Italy) 4:34.45 2. Jean Brucy (France) 4:36.51 3. Cyril Despres (France) 4:38.24 4. Marc Coma (Spain) 4:38.25 5. Nani Roma (Spain) 4:39.51 6. Fabrizio Meoni (Italy) 4:41.44 7. Richard Sainct (France) 4:44.05


Leading overall standings: 1. Meoni 12:43.44 2. Roma 12:43.51 3. Sainct 12:44.05 4. Despres 12:44.24 5. Sala 12:48.45 6. Brucy 12:48.51


Bureau Report