American driver Seth Quintero won the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Thursday by one second after Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah, who was first across the line, was penalised 10 minutes.

American driver Seth Quintero has been promoted to first place on the opening stage of the Dakar Rally after helping a crashed rival in Saudi Arabia.

Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit led the two-week Dakar Rally on Saturday as race favourites in the car category slowed to secure better conditions for Sunday's 48-hour Chrono stage in the Saudi Arabian desert.

French Mini driver Guerlain Chicherit was fastest in the 413km first stage around the southwestern town of Bisha, but Toyota’s Quintero, who finished 50 seconds behind, was promoted hours later after he was credited 95 seconds to make up for time lost when he stopped to assist Spaniard Laia Sanz, who had crashed.