"It was complicated because there were a lot of dunes again," Peterhansel said. "The navigation was a little bit easier this morning because the bikers started first this morning.

"They navigated really well so most of the time we followed the lines of the bikers... we did not drive the stage on full attack, just with a good speed."

Two-time Dakar champion Nani Roma became one of the first casualties of the event when he suffered head and neck injuries after flipping his Mini less than a kilometer from the finish line.

The Spaniard was airlifted to hospital with his participation in the event almost certainly over. His co-driver Alex Haro was largely unscathed but also underwent precautionary medical checks.

In the motorcycle category, KTM's defending champion Sam Sunderland regained the overall lead with his second stage win in three days. The Briton led Honda's Kevin Benavides in the standings by 4:48.