Monday marked the second day of racing at the 2012 Dakar Rally, which this year starts in Argentina, crosses into Chile, and finishes in Peru.

On Monday, Luis Marcelo Soldavini, and his 11-year old son, died when their plane crashed while they were following the rally from above.

Nasser Al Attiyah from Qatar won the second stage of racing, ahead of Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel, who came in second place, and American Robby Gordon who finished third, during the 295 KM stage between the towns of Santa Rosa and San Rafael, in Argentina.

On Tuesday drivers will race 499 kilometers from San Rafael to San Juan, during the third stage of the rally.

Peruvian motorcyclist Felipe Rios was the first Peruvian to finish the second stage of the Dakar Rally, and finished 75th with a time of 4 hours, 9 minutes and 40 seconds.

Rios was followed by Eduardo Henrich, and came in 80th.

The race has already made headlines due to two fatal accidents.

The first occurred on Sunday when 38-year old Argentine Jorge Martinez Boero crashed his motorcycle during the first stage of the rally, and was taken to the Mar de Plata navel base, where he was pronounced dead.

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