Nasser Al-Attiyah Dakar Rally lead cut down after seventh stage

Nasser Al-Attiyah

Rio de Janeiro, Jan 11 (IANS)

Racer Orlando Terranova continued Mini's dominance of the 2015 Dakar Rally by winning the seventh stage.

The Argentine finished two minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Saudi Arabian driver Yazeed Alrajhi in the Iquique-Uyuni leg across Bolivia's salt flats Saturday, reports Xinhua.

Dutchman Bernhard Ten Brinke was third, eights seconds further back.

"It was really difficult, tough, complicated," Terranova said.

"But we've made it. Now we'll try and bring the car to Chile so our crew can take care of it. We're getting better, but we need to work hard to avoid mistakes."

Terranova's Mini teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah, seventh Saturday, saw his overall lead cut by three minutes by South African Giniel de Villiers, who crossed the line in sixth.

Drivers will return to Iquique on Chile's Pacific coast in Sunday's 784-km eighth stage.