Buenos Aires, Jan 16 (IANS): Nasser Al-Attiyah secured a fifth stage victory to move closer to his second Dakar Rally title.
The Mini driver Thursday won the 520 km 11th stage from Salta to Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina by finishing 27 seconds ahead of Argentine Orlando Terranova, reports Xinhua.
South Africa's Giniel de Villiers was third, 12 seconds further back.
The result gave Al-Attiyah a 29-minute cushion over De Villiers with Poland's Krzysztof Holowczyc moving into third place.
"We'll try to bring everything back to Buenos Aires and to win this Dakar because it will be very important for me, for my sponsor Red Bull, for Qatar, for everybody who supports me," said Al-Attiyah, who won the event in 2011.
The 44-year-old Qatari said he felt for Saudi Arabian driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who dropped off the podium places after his car developed engine problems.
"It's a shame what has happened to Yazeed because he had a problem from yesterday with the engine," Al-Attiyah said.
"I feel sorry for him but this is the Dakar. You need to watch out for many, many things. He will learn and he will come back stronger next year."
Friday's penultimate stage will be from Termas de Rio Hondo to Rosario.