Pisco - Stephane Peterhansel, a 13-time Dakar Rally champion, quit the race early on Wednesday's penultimate stage in Peru when sitting fourth in the overall standings.
The 53-year-old Mini driver won two stages in this year's race, but had slipped well adrift of the overall pace set by Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah.
Race organisers said the Frenchman had to call it quits after only 26 kilometres of the 313km ninth stage around Pisco after a bad landing that injured co-driver David Castera's back.