Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi's hopes of an eighth successive Dakar Rally victory were clogged up by Argentine dust on Saturday as the 2009 race got underway.

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah, driving a BMW, showed off his world rally-raid champion credentials, by taking the opening 733km stage from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa with three Volkswagens tucked in behind.

France's Luc Alphand, the 2006 champion, was the best-placed Mitsubishi driver, coming home in fifth place (at 4:44min behind the leader) while compatriot, and defending champion Stephane Peterhansel, was sixth (4:54).

Joan Roma was eighth but Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka, the 2002 and 2003 champion, endured a miserable opening day after experiencing engine problems with his Mitsubishi and needed assistance at the midway point.

The 49-year-old eventually finished down in 160th spot for the stage, almost five hours behind Al-Attiyah.

"This is only the start of the rally. It is disappointing that something happened to Hiroshi, because he was on a good pace. But we are quite happy with the performance of the other cars," said team director Dominique Serieys.

Alphand believed the stage had been full of challenges.

"It is a long, long race and today’s stage was dusty and potentially dangerous. When you cannot see where you go in the dust it is always difficult," said Alphand, a former world skiing champion.

"It was a quick section of the rally. Bravo to Nasser for his win. Now we must concentrate and not put ourselves under too much pressure."

Peterhansel is bidding for a 10th crown to add to his six on a motorcycle and three in a car.

He won the Dakar in 2007, the last time the gruelling event was staged before it was cancelled in 2008 and then shifted from terror-hit Africa to Argentina and Chile.

"It's never easy opening a race and particuarly when it's the Dakar," said Peterhansel. "My pace wasn't extraordinary but the car went well. We could have gone quicker but I wanted to be careful because of the dust."

AFP

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