Updated

Eleven-time champion Stephane Peterhansel won Friday's 12th and penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally to take the overall lead by only 26 seconds ahead of fellow Mini driver Nani Roma.

Before Thursday's stage, Mini gave team orders for their four drivers to hold their positions, with Roma in the lead followed by Peterhansel, Nasser Al-Attiyah and No. 4 Orlando Terranova.

Instead, Friday was an open race with Peterhansel winning, 3:38 ahead of Al-Attiyah and 5:58 clear of Roma.

It's a two-car race between Peterhansel and Roma going into Saturday's last stage to Valapariso. Al-Attiyah is 54:07 behind.

The bikes race seems settled, with Marc Coma leading by almost 2 hours overall ahead of fellow Spaniard Jordi Viladoms. Cyril Despres won Friday's stage, 2:17 ahead of Coma.