Defending champion Carlos Sainz takes lead in the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia

Spaniard eight seconds clear of 'Mr Dakar' Peterhansel after the 277-km stage from Jeddah to Bisha

Red Bull KTM Factory Team's Matthias Walkner during Stage 1 of the Dakar Rally - from Jeddah to Bisha - on Sunday, January 3. Reuters

Bahrain Raid Xtreme's Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena compete during Stage 1. AFP

Spain's Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete during Stage 1. AFP

Red Bull KTM Factory Team's Toby Price. Reuters

Peugeot's Cyril Desprez and his co-driver, South African-Swiss explorer and adventurer Mike Horn, compete during Stage 1. AFP

Australian rider Toby Price. AFP

Mini's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz. AFP

Germany's Sebastian Buhler of Hero Motorsports Team Rally. EPA

Action during stage 1. Reuters

Argentinian rider Luciano Benavides. AFP

French driver Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena of Monaco. AFP

Sherco TVS Rally Factory's Spanish driver Lorenzo Santolino. EPA

Toyota Gazoo Racing's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Co-Driver Matthieu Baumel. Reuters

Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena. AFP

Overdrive Toyota's Yazeed Al Rajhi and co-Driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz suffer technical problems. Reuters

Defending champion Carlos Sainz took the lead in the Dakar Rally car category after winning Sunday's first proper stage in the Saudi Arabian desert ahead of Mini team mate Stephane Peterhansel.

The Spaniard was eight seconds clear of 'Mr Dakar' Peterhansel – the Frenchman who has won a record 13 times on two wheels and four – overall after the 277-km timed stage from the port city of Jeddah to Bisha.

Overnight leader Nasser Al-Attiyah, who won Saturday's short prologue for the factory Toyota team, dropped back to 10th and nearly 12 minutes off the lead.

"We decided to win the prologue, and we expected to lose time opening the road today. Tomorrow's stage is what really matters," said the Qatari.

Sainz, a triple Dakar winner whose son and namesake is a Ferrari Formula One driver, had started 28th after a puncture in the prologue but came back aggressively in his X-Raid Mini JCW buggy.

"We had a puncture and a problem with the roadbook made us lose four minutes. Happy with the P1 and with the lead tomorrow," the 58-year-old said on Twitter.

Peterhansel lost time with a puncture in the last 50km.

Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb had a difficult day, the Frenchman suffering three punctures and dropping nearly 24 minutes behind for the Bahrain Raid Xtreme team.

In the bikes category, Australian two-times champion Toby Price was 23 seconds clear of Argentina's Kevin Benavides overall while American 2020 champion Ricky Brabec lost his way and ended up 17 minutes adrift.

"Today quite difficult with the navigation. I got lost a little bit about seven km from the finish," said KTM rider Price. "I took a little bit of time just trying to get back on track here."

The Dakar, one of motorsport's most dangerous and gruelling events, is being held entirely in Saudi Arabia for the second time, with competitors in a protective bubble after testing negative for Covid-19. The rally ends in Jeddah on January 15.