Stephane Peterhansel and the terrible story of his accident at Dakar 2023: “I don’t know if it’s time to retire”

The automatic door of the sumptuous gray trailer opens wide and the figure of the greatest myth of a unique and fascinating specialty appears, the Dakar. Nobody earned as much as him. He raced in that initial Dakar, through the deserts of Africa, was one of the figures who dazzled in South America and now the weight of his surname keeps the tradition on the dunes of Saudi Arabia.

Despite his 14 victories, distributed on the motorbike, first, and in the car, the Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel does not lose his humility. He greets by turning his eyes towards each other, predisposed to dialogue, he smiles when he is told data that has nothing to do with the chronicle of a race so enthralling that it seems he doesn’t even leave time to breathe.

At 57, he is carrying out a project that does not admit anxiety and is built on the basis of patience: the development of a vehicle for a brand that is taking its first steps in tackling extreme adventure: Audi.

But the challenge is even greater, since the German brand has insisted on introducing the highest technology that revolutionizes motor sport: the Audi RS Q e-tron E2, the hybrid prototype containing three electric drives and a combustion engine, to make the history of the Dakar.

However, in the midst of this quest to speed up sports and technological processes, the surprises of a unique competition are always on the alert.

Peterhansel had a terrible crash on stage sixwhich left him unconscious for 5 minutes and caused him to break a vertebra belonging to his navigator, Edouard Boulanger.

As often happens in this race that is unmatched by any other motorsport activity, the important and shocking facts are gradually being discovered.

At first, the health conditions of the French crew were not known, then it was known that his teammate, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, was also involved in an accident and in the same place as Peterhansel.

In a half-empty field, due to the stage “Half Marathon”With the drivers heading to the Al Duwadimi bivouac, Audi has called a press briefing with a handful of international media, including clarion.

“I was very excited, because he arrived with an excellent race pace. I passed Nasser (Al-Attiyah) and Carlos (Sainz). There I kept my concentration to do everything, as we had to gain ground. The first 200 kilometers of the stage had already passed. Suddenly, among many jumps (small dunes) that we constantly passed, there was one that looked the same to everyone. But it wasn’t. We jump about 12 meters or so. Instead of a stop it was a flight”, began the dramatic story of the legend of the Dakar.

His eyes widen as he accompanies the description of the fact. The hands start moving by understanding the behavior of your vehicle: “In the fall I feel a strong blow and lose consciousness there. I kept accelerating with full foot. Edouard set the parking brake and turned off the engine. The car spun. A few minutes later I woke up, I didn’t remember anything. I still don’t remember what exactly happened.”

It was there that Peterhansel’s nightmare began. “When I got out of the car, I saw Edouard who was in the sand, holding his back. I asked him if he felt his limbs of him, he said yes. And it was only then that I realized we had had an accident, so I immediately called for medical assistance from the race. And the helicopter arrived right away,” he revealed.

He adjusts his Audi cap, also moves his body sitting on a bench, and looks at all his interlocutors to advance with the story: “A few minutes later I also see Carlos (Sainz) stopped in the desert, a few meters away. It was all very confusing. I realize my back is broken.”

Upon regaining consciousness, Peterhansel also learned that his Dakar was over, as his navigator could not move from pain and was sent by helicopter to a clinic. There it was discovered that Edouard is suffering from a broken D5 vertebra. He required surgery, which is why he was sent to Monaco to undergo the operation.

Peterhansel was also transferred to another helicopter to carry out routine checks in these cases.

And now that? Many have spoken of an alleged farewell to the myth of the Dakar. The French driver himself was instructed to clarify: “If I won this Dakar, I would retire, because there was no doubt that it was the perfect way to say goodbye. But with this situation, we’ll have to think about it. Now is not the time, the body still feels the pain from such a blow. But I’ll have to make a decision soon. I don’t know if it’s time to retire”, admitted Peterhansel, the greatest character of the Dakar, in physical pain, but even greater in what causes abandonment for those who know more about glory.

A stage in the middle

The 7th stage was a “Half Marathon”, due to the changes made to the route due to the sudden rains in this area of ​​Saudi Arabia. Motorcycles and ATVs didn’t work.

In cars, local prevailed Yazeed Al Rajhi (Toyota), while the Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) finished 14th and continues to lead in qualifying, with an hour advantage. The best Argentinian is Juan Cruz Yacopini (Toyota), which was 21st (13th overall), and Sebastian Halpern (Mini), which was 12th (14th).

In UTVs, Pampas’ David Zille (Can Am) was 33rd and 40th overall, and in T4, Jeremías González Ferioli (Can Am), 8th and 7th. Nicolás Cavigliasso (Can Am), 10th and 30th. Juan Manuel Silva (Yamaha), 33rd and 18th.

The eighth stage will take place on Sunday, from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh, with over 800 kilometres, 346 of which special.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Special for Clarion.