Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit led the two-week Dakar Rally on Saturday as race favourites in the car category slowed to secure better conditions for Sunday's 48-hour Chrono stage in the Saudi Arabian desert.

French Mini driver Guerlain Chicherit was fastest in the 413km first stage around the southwestern town of Bisha, but Toyota’s Quintero, who finished 50 seconds behind, was promoted hours later after he was credited 95 seconds to make up for time lost when he stopped to assist Spaniard Laia Sanz, who had crashed.

Bisha: American Toyota driver Seth Quintero won the first stage of the Dakar Rally yesterday, the race favourites having eased up so as not to land an unfavourable position for the upcoming 48-hour chrono. Organisers had initially named French Mini driver Guerlain Chicherit as the stage winner.