Molly Taylor finished sixth on Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally despite her SSV being t-boned by a Toyota Hilux along the way.

The Australian reached the finish line in a time 4:33s slower than stage-winning South Racing Can-Am team-mate Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli, moving back up to 11th overall.

However, it was a wild day for Taylor, and battling with a long brake pedal was not the extent of the drama.

“As we came up to one of the really big [dunes] and were just cresting the top, a T1 Hilux was coming from another way and t-boned us, square in Andrew’s [Short, co-driver] door, so there was a bit of damage,” she recounted.

“Thankfully, it just hit the bodywork on the car and not anything mechanical, so we lost a few of the spare parts that we carry; they all just kind of fell out a gaping hole in Andrew’s door.

“Thankfully, we just got kind of stuck and we had to reverse down and find another way to pass, so it could have been a lot worse.”

Rokas Baciuska (Red Bull Can-Am) maintains a slightly reduced, 4:34s overall lead.

Other classes

In the Trucks, Ales Loprais (Instaforex Loprais Praga) pulled clear again, 16:17s up on Martin Van Den Brink (Eurol Team De Rooy Iveco) after the Dutchman experienced engine problems.

Martin Macík (MM Technology) is fourth overall after his fourth stage win of the rally.

In Quads, Alexandre Giroud’s (Yamaha Racing – SMX – Drag’on) margin over Manuel Andujar (7240 Team) was snipped to a still commanding 1:41:37s when the latter prevailed on Stage 8.

Mitchell Guthrie (Red Bull Off-Road Jr Team USA by BFG) jumped back into contention in Lightweight Prototypes, his third on the day moving him to 3:19s behind overall leader Guillaume De Mevius (Grallyteam).

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