Buenos Aires: Mini driver Nasser Al-Attiyah maintained his Dakar Rally overall lead after finishing fourth in the eighth stage, while Saudi Arabia’s rookie Yazeed Al-Rajhi claimed his maiden stage win.

Sunday’s 808 kilometre run, with 784 km being timed, started from Bolivia’s salt flats in Uyuni and ended in the dunes of the Chilean Pacific coastal city of Iquique, reported Xinhua.

The Toyota driver Al-Rajhi continued his sound form in his debut at the Rally as he finished first in Sunday’s route with three hours and 26.49 minutes.

Saturday’s stage winner Orlando Terranova ranked second in his Mini, over one minute and 12 seconds behind, while Al-Attiyah was placed third with a further two minutes and 36 seconds back.

However, the 2011 Dakar winner Al-Attiyah, who has won three stage wins so far in this year, gained a few seconds on his closest pursuer in overall standings, South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers (Toyota), who finished fourth in the eighth stage.

Al-Attiyah currently has an almost eight-and-a-half minute lead over de Villiers in the overall standings. Al-Rajhi remains in contention for the drivers’ crown in third, 18 minutes and 40 seconds behind.

The two-day car marathon stage in the weekend was not easy for the competitors.