My goodness...Someone, somewhere needs to tell Nissan drivers across the Globe that you can't win or even represent your team at the finish line---WITHOUT FINISHING!!
Another event come and gone, another solid performance dashed near the end due to readily avoidable mistakes. I think I am beginning to attribute these mistakes to under experienced drivers in vehicles they don't fully understand. As Nissans are not part of any factory effort yet make solid performing privateer vehicles they are frequently used in "arrive and drive" scenarios where a well heeled, somewhat talented, but grossly inexperienced driver gets behind the wheel for his/her shot at a big time event. I believe that is what may have happened here.
After the first few stages of the Estoril-Portimao-Marrakech event the Nissan Pathfinder of Helder Oliveira had performed very well and sat in 5th place through the end of the 7th (of 10) stage. As we have seen in a number of Nissan efforts lately, things fell apart quickly as Oliveira rolled the Pathfinder a number of times in Stage 8, totaling the vehicle and ending their event.
The rally win eventually went to Leonid Novitskiy and his BMW X3 who showed his talent in the desert sand of Africa, overtaking Felipe Campos who was leading the event through the tighter stages in Portugal. Eric Vigouroux took third in his American Chevrolet Silverado, also showing his excellent desert skills as he leapfrogged a number of competitors once the event entered North Africa.
No pictures of any Nissans in this post as none deserved any further mention from this event...
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