Result Dakar rally 2012 yamaha aiming for Bike and Quad podiums as Dakar enters home straight

Red Bull Yamaha TMN Team’s Helder Rodrigues has so far managed a solid and effective trek amidst Argentina and Chile to hold third position on his WR450F and consolidate his position with a 47 and a half minute deficit to Cyril Despres in second place and twenty minute gap over fellow Yamaha pilot David Casteu in fourth. The Portuguese (pictured) has marked 15th, 12th, 4th, 4th, 14th and 4th from the eight stages so far. Today he rides a two-part 550km special from Antofagasta to Iquique; the latter landscape having already formed one of the memorable features of the 2010 edition.

The sixth day of the Dakar was cancelled due to poor weather over the Andes and across the Chilean border. Rodrigues, who won third position and stood on the Dakar podium for the first time almost twelve months ago now faces the journey up through Chile into Peru and the ‘home straight’ to Lima.

“It’s a difficult Dakar. I’m feeling a bit tired, but everybody is in the same situation,” he said. “I’m still here and I’ve not suffered. I’m on top form and I can go on the attack when I want, and that’s what I’m going to do. I want to go head to head with the leading two. I’m third in the general standings, which is great.”

Unfortunately American Jonah Street was forced to withdrawal from the rally in the second stage with a technical problem but French duo David Casteu and Olivier Pain have ensured that Yamaha count on three riders in the top ten of the overall standings. Casteu has posted seven top ten finishes on what is his first outing on the Yamaha. Pain has managed a best result of ninth so far.

“It’s still going well for me,” commented Casteu. “I am well established in the race and hopefully to earn a good overall finish. More importantly I’m catching up to the podium positions behind Marc, Cyril and Helder and I love it! Thank you to Yamaha, Jose (Leloir), my team, my partners and all my fans … I’m a happy man!”