Peterhansel takes Dakar Rally lead

Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel took the overall lead in the Dakar Rally by winning the sixth stage in Bolivia.

Stephane Peterhansel of France drives his Peugeot during the fifth stage Jujuy-Uyuni in the Dakar Rally 2016.

Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel took the overall lead in the Dakar Rally by winning the sixth stage in Bolivia.

The 50-year-old, who has won the race a record 11 times, ended the 543 km loop of the Uyuni salt flats in five hours, one minute and seven seconds on Friday. His Peugeot teammate Carlos Sainz of Spain was 17 seconds off the pace in second place, reported Xinhua.

Nine times World Rally champion Sebastian Loeb completed the podium eight minutes and 15 second behind. Peterhansel leads the overall standings, 27 seconds ahead of Loeb and almost six minutes ahead of third-placed Sainz.

STAGE 6 - CARS1. >@s_peterhansel 2. >@CSainz_oficial +0'17"3. >@Yazeed_AlRajhi +7'19" >#Dakar2016 RedBullContentPool >pic.twitter.com/n5RNKHC0S4

— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) >January 8, 2016