Former World Rally Champion Colin McRae acquitted himself well on his first taste of the Dakar Rally – but he expects matters to get much harder when the event hits Africa.

JAPANESE driver Kenjiro Shinozuka, the 1997 auto champion, made a winning start in the 1.5km prologue of the 26th Dakar Rally which got underway despite heavy snow yesterday.

Colin McRae made a creditable start to his first-ever Dakar Rally by posting the 28th quickest time on today’s first stage.