Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel celebrated his 11th overall Dakar Rally victory and a record fifth in the car category when the gruelling two-week race that started in Peru concluded in the Chilean capital last weekend.

In a repeat of last year’s results, Peterhansel’s compatriot Cyril Despres celebrated victory in the motorcycle category, marking his fifth victory in the race that was moved to South America in 2009 due to security concerns.

“This is the first time we finished the race without mechanical problems. This is the best car I’ve ever had,” Peterhansel told reporters after edging ahead of Finn Ari Vatanen for victories in the car category.

The 47-year-old Peterhansel, whose last two race wins have come in a Mini following three in a Mitsubishi, has also won six titles in the motorcycle category with his first triumph coming in 1991.

The winner completed the race in 36 hours, 44 minutes and 46 seconds, almost 45 minutes ahead of South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers with Russian driver Leonid Novistkiy completing the podium.

Riding a KTM, Despres finished a little more than 10 minutes ahead of Portugal’s Ruben Faria with Chile’s Francisco Lopez a further eight minutes adrift, as the winner expressed relief at completing another tough victory.

“If the Dakar becomes easy to win it wouldn’t be so interesting. But that’s never going to happen. It’s too long and too hard,” Despres said.

This year’s race was not without tragedy, however, after French motorcyclist Thomas Bourgin died following a collision with a police car on his way to the start of a special stage in northern Chile.

Two people were also killed in Peru as a result of an accident involving two taxis and a support vehicle for one of the teams.