Riyadh, January 12 (QNA) - Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah, driving for the Dacia team, retained his overall lead in the Dakar Rally after finishing fifth in Monday's eighth stage of the car category in the rally currently being held in Saudi Arabia.

Al Attiyah leads the overall standings with a time of 32 hours, 32 minutes, and 6 seconds. He is followed by Sweden's Mattias Ekstrom, driving for the Ford team, four minutes behind in second place. South Africa's Henk Lategan, driving a Toyota, is in third place, 6 minutes and 8 seconds behind. Spain's Nani Roma, driving a Ford, is in fourth place, 9 minutes and 37 seconds behind, and Spain's Carlos Sainz, also driving a Ford, is in fifth place, 10 minutes and 39 seconds behind.

Al Attiyah finished the eighth stage, a 721-kilometer stretch including a 483-kilometer special stage around Wadi Al Dawasir, in 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 51 seconds, 1 minute and 16 seconds behind South African Saud Farwa, the Toyota Gazoo driver who won the stage.

In the motorcycle category, Argentinian Luciano Benavides on a KTM took the overall lead with a time of 33 hours, 18 minutes, and 50 seconds. His teammate, Australian Daniel Sanders, was 10 seconds behind, followed by American Ricky Brabec on a Honda in third place, 4 minutes and 47 seconds back. Spaniard Tosha Sharina, also on a Honda, was fourth, 20 minutes and 13 seconds behind, and American Skyler Howes, on a Honda, was fifth, 41 minutes and 6 seconds back. (QNA)