UAE, Oct 24: Peterhansel stays on track as Schlesser wins third stage of UAE Desert Challenge.
Schlesser now trails overall leader Stephane Peterhansel by 12 minutes 52 seconds in an event he must win to have any chance of regaining the FIA World Drivers' title.
In the four-wheel category, defending World Champion Schlesser edged back into contention to retain his FIA world title with the fastest time. But the Frenchman must somehow find a way past Stephane Peterhansel's Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution and hope that rival Carlos Sousa fails to reach the finish. Sousa rolled today and lost over 16 minutes, but still lies third overall.
Belgian rival Gregoire de Mevius slipped back to fourth place with clutch problems. Germany's Andrea Mayer is on course for a career-best result in her Mitsubishi Pajero. She stopped to help two team mates today and still moved up to fifth place. Italy's Miki Biasion was forced to retire after rolling his Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution after 30 kms. The twice former World Rally Champion complained of a pain in his side and took the decision to withdraw.


Nissan suffered the ignominy of a pair of driveshaft failures on Wednesday, which put paid to the winning aspirations of both Ari Vatanen and Giniel de Villiers. The cars were refettled overnight and the duo tackled today's section for testing purposes, but Vatanen hit trouble again 55 kms into the section.

Bureau Report