MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Three trucks of Russia’s Team Kamaz-Master swept the podium on Monday after Stage 8 of the Dakar 2021 rally raid in Saudi Arabia.

The first place went to the squad of the truck piloted by Anton Shibalov, who covered the distance of 453 kilometers in 3 hours 19.40 minutes. The second place went to the squad of reigning champion Andrei Karginov (+2.19 minutes). Dmitry Sotnikov (+2.28 minutes) rounded up the trio of Stage 8 winners in the truck category.

Dmitry Sotnikov and his crewmates Ruslan Akhmadeev and Ilgiz Akhmetzianov are currently first in the overall standings of the rally raid in the truck category with the result of 32 hours 34.18 minutes. They are followed by the crew of Anton Shibalov (33 hours 17.46 minutes) and another Kamaz-Master truck crew piloted by Airat Mardeev (33 hours 47.33 minutes).

The 43rd edition of the Dakar Rally is held across the territory of Saudi Arabia between January 3 and 15, 2021 and consists of 12 stages.

Four squads of Team Kamaz-Master were registered for the most prestigious annual rally raid this year, including the crew of reigning world champion Andrei Karginov.

Since late 1990s, the Kamaz-Master team dominated the truck category, winning a record number of 17 prestigious rally raids.