McRae makes headway in the desert

Colin McRae proved the desert sands of Africa hold no fear as he recorded a best-yet stage finish of fourth on the Dakar Rally today.

The Scotsman, who was tied in seventh place overall overnight, finished today’s first full-length stage of the event in fourth place with a time of 41 minutes 21 seconds.

That performance on the 75-kilometre stage near Tangier in Morocco lifted the 1995 World Rally champion, who is driving a Nissan on his Dakar debut, into sixth place overall, 97secs behind leader Stephane Peterhansel’s Mitsubishi.

Peterhansel finished second on stage four today, 10 seconds behind Ari Vatanen, who scored his 50th stage win on the event to move into fourth overall.

Former World Rally champion Miki Biasion is second overall for Mitsubishi, 67secs down on Peterhansel, after finishing third today. Gregoire de Mevius rounds out the overall top three in his BMW.

Three-time Dakar winner Rene Metge suffered a scare when he rolled his Nissan 67km into the stage, but he was able to continue.

In the bike category, Fabrizio Meoni won today’s stage for KTM to move into second overall, but Isidre Esteve Pujol was the big winner.

The Spanish KTM rider jumped from his overnight fourth place to the top of the overall standings thanks to his second place today and he leads Meoni by 14secs. Cyril Despres is third.

David Fretigne’s great start to the event counted for nothing as the Yamaha man lost the overall lead after clocking the 39th-quickest time to slip down to 23rd.

Reigning champion Richard Sainct is grateful just to be in the event after severely damaging his KTM in a crash which cost him over six minutes and left him in 20th overall.

Patsy Quick, from East Sussex, dropped 21 places to 148th, over 38mins off the lead, after setting the 155th fastest time today on her KTM.

Honda’s Mike Extance enjoyed a better day, the Derbyshire rider jumping up to 58th after recording the 60th quickest time on stage four.