The 2016 Dakar Rally got off to a bad start in Argentina late Saturday when a speeding car veered off the circuit and ran into a group of spectators, leaving ten injured, some of them seriously.

The incident, which involved the Mini of China’s Guo Meiling, saw the prologue suspended in horrific scenes.

Guo’s car veered off the course at the 6.6-kilometre mark of the 11km prologue on a stretch of straight country road near Arrecifes, a small town some 200 kilometres from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

Race organisers immediately deployed four medical helicopters, three medical vehicles belonging to the organisers and eight local ambulances to the scene of the accident.

China’s Guo Meiling (centre) receiving treatment.

A man and his 14-year-old son were the two most serious cases and had to be rushed to hospital.

“In total, we had 10 patients, including four children and one pregnant woman, who is doing fine,” said Daniel Modesto, head of the local hospital.

Etienne Lavigne, the race director, said that 12 people were hurt, including Guo.

The accident left Guo’s car battered, its bonnet strewn on the ground, as emergency workers carted the injured off on stretchers.

In 2015, Polish motorbike rider Michal Hernik died at the end of a stage, but the last accident involving spectators at the Dakar Rally was in 2011, when one person was killed.

Meanwhile, nine-time World Rally Championship winner Sebastien Loeb safely negotiated the prologue, while Dutchman Bernhard ten Brinke, driving a Toyota, claimed victory in the opening leg, taking 6min 08sec to cover the 11km special, beating Carlos Sainz (Peugeot) and Xavier Pons (Ford Ranger).