French driver Stephane Peterhansel clinched the sixth stage in car category in the Dakar Rally midweek on Thursday.

Peterhansel, who experienced serious mechanical problems on Wednesday and lost his place at the top of the standings, came home 47 seconds ahead of Spain's former world rally champion Carlos Sainz, who had replaced the Frenchman in the overall leading.

Spain's two-time winner Marc Coma had earlier won the motorcycling stage.

Coma, eighth overall before the stage, moved into fourth position following his victory on his KTM motorbike at least 10 minutes clear of his rivals including France's overall leader Cyril Despres, who finished second.

Chile's fifth stage victor Francisco Lopez finished fourth on the stage behind Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues.

The stage was marred by a serious injury suffered by Italian rider Luca Manca following a crash. Manca, ninth overall going into the stage, was flown by helicopter to hospital and diagnosed head injuries before being transferred to a neurological unit at a hospital in the capital Santiago..

The 29-year-old KTM rider, whose ambition for the race was to finish in the top five, crashed just 10 kilometers into the 418km special from Antofagasta and after receiving treatment had to be taken to local hospital by helicopter.