Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit led the two-week Dakar Rally on Saturday as race favourites in the car category slowed to secure better conditions for Sunday's 48-hour Chrono stage in the Saudi Arabian desert.

French Mini driver Guerlain Chicherit was fastest in the 413km first stage around the southwestern town of Bisha, but Toyota’s Quintero, who finished 50 seconds behind, was promoted hours later after he was credited 95 seconds to make up for time lost when he stopped to assist Spaniard Laia Sanz, who had crashed.

American driver Seth Quintero was promoted to first place on the opening stage of the Dakar Rally after helping a crashed rival on Saturday. Quintero's Toyota actually crossed second behind the Mini of Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit after the 413-kilometer special in the desert around Bisha in Saudi Arabia's south west.